There were no major regrets inside the Ferrari camp after the Austrian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton insisting that the Maranello team had explored every possible option to maximize its result at the Red Bull Ring.
No regrets for Ferrari despite difficult race
Lewis Hamilton climbed into second place behind George Russell during the opening lap of the Austrian Grand Prix, but as the race unfolded he gradually lost ground, eventually taking the chequered flag in fifth position.
The Ferrari driver also surrendered second place in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship to George Russell, who now occupies the runner-up spot, 40 points behind championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Despite the disappointing final result, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion was once again Ferrari’s strongest performer on race day by a comfortable margin. The Ferrari pit wall also opted for an aggressive strategy by fitting soft tyres to Hamilton during the Virtual Safety Car period triggered by Carlos Sainz’s retirement, hoping to gain an advantage over the closing stages of the race.
Reflecting on the team’s strategic approach, the British driver explained: “Before the race we thought that, considering the track temperatures, a three-stop strategy could be an option. It’s always difficult to know how things would have turned out with a different approach, but I don’t think there was much more we could have achieved today given our level of competitiveness. The team did a great job during the pit stops.” – the seven-time Formula 1 world champion concluded at the end of the race which was held in Spielberg.
Lewis Hamilton’s comments underline Ferrari’s belief that every realistic opportunity was explored in Austria, even if the SF-26 ultimately lacked the outright pace needed to challenge the frontrunners over a full race distance.
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