Mika Hakkinen believes Ferrari’s people lack confidence amid Monaco strategy calls

Scuderia Ferrari got their strategy for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix wrong, which allowed Red Bull to take advantage of the weather conditions and win the race with Sergio Perez, while Charles Leclerc finished outside the podium zone. Two-time Formula One world champion Mika Hakkinen feels the Italian side hesitated at a crucial moment in the Monte Carlo race.

And unfortunately it is not the first time Ferrari fail to make the right decisions under racing pressure and end up shooting themselves in the foot. But this season, the F1-75 car seems able to challenge Red Bull for the world championships which means that the Maranello team has to avoid such mistakes to give Charles Leclerc a chance to fight for the Formula 1 Drivers’ Title, which would be the first won by Ferrari since Kimi Raikkonen’s triumph back in 2007.

Such moments will not win Championships, and former F1 driver Mika Hakkinen feels that is exactly what ruined Scuderia Ferrari and Charles Leclerc’s chances in the Monaco Grand Prix on the streets of Monte Carlo.

“In the race Ferrari hesitated at the key moment,” Mika Hakkinen wrote in his Unibet column after the race – “Calling Charles in, then pitting him again and also leaving Carlos out longer than was necessary. Red Bull got the strategy right, jumping their cars from 3rd and 4th up to 1st and 3rd,” he explained.

“I know Ferrari have said they are going to analyse the reasons why their strategy went so badly wrong, but I think the technical analysis will be less important than the human factors. What makes one team have the confidence to make the right call, and another team to hesitate and get it wrong? That’s down to people and the confidence which they have in each other when under pressure,” the former McLaren driver insisted.

Mika Hakkinen also spared a word for eventual Monaco winner, Sergio Perez, and said: “Winning in Monaco is a very special experience for any driver and Checo Perez has really done something special.

“He drove brilliantly all weekend,” the Flying Finn insisted. “He made a small mistake hitting the barrier at the end of qualifying and that definitely played a part in setting up the race as it delayed Max while he was on a qualifying run. However Checo was quick on Friday and fastest in final practice so it was clear that the car was working well for him,” the double F1 Champion maintained.