The Italian team boss defended the decisions in the race after the Briton questioned the strategy over the radio. Ferrari was fourth and fifth, with Hamilton and Leclerc just off the podium.
Fred Vasseur, Ferrari team principal, has defended the team's strategy during the Dutch Grand Prix after Lewis Hamilton criticized the decisions over the radio. The Scuderia finished fourth and fifth with Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, just off the podium, with George Russell (Mercedes) resisting the final pressure: "We didn't want to tell him the strategy at that moment because we didn't want to reveal it to the competitors" explained Vasseur at the end of a race in which Ferrari had real chances to get on the podium.
During the race, Hamilton was annoyed over the radio after being held up by Leclerc, despite having fresher tires and an alternative strategy. The Briton stayed on track with degraded tires and was overtaken by Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli making their final stop under the Virtual Safety Car: "Big time loss, guys" declared Hamilton over the radio, questioning whether the team was using him "as a guinea pig." The seven time champion's frustration was evident, especially as he saw podium chances slipping away.
Vasseur explained that the decision not to communicate the strategy to Hamilton was intentional to gain an advantage over rival teams: "We wanted to keep him on track until the end, I think it would have been the right decision" he stated. The Ferrari boss also referred to the confusion over tire compounds: "Charles was also a bit frustrated at one point over the compound, but I think everyone was a bit lost on the compound. Norris started on mediums on the first start, then switched to softs, and the difference between these two compounds was very marginal today" he explained.
Vasseur acknowledged that strategy is an area of improvement for the team: "Sometimes we have to change the strategy or adapt because we try to learn from others, and for them it's a bit frustrating" he concluded. The Ferrari director admitted that communication with the drivers is key to avoiding misunderstandings like the one that occurred with Hamilton: "Charles was going to stop, we extended a lap and it was a kind of confusion, but I'm not worried about this. They will have a clear picture of the race" he added.
Hamilton, for his part, had expressed his desire to win and his frustration at not being able to fight for the podium. The Briton, who has scored points in every race, needs wins if he wants to close the gap to Antonelli in the championship. Ferrari's fourth and fifth positions at Zandvoort are a bittersweet result. The team has shown good pace, but a lack of strategy and confusion over compounds have cost them the podium.
The Scuderia needs to improve its decision making if it wants to fight for the championship. The second half of the season will be crucial for Ferrari. The team needs to score points and close the gap to Mercedes. Strategy will be a key factor in the upcoming races. Vasseur trusts that the team can learn from Zandvoort's mistakes and improve in the next races. The championship fight is more alive than ever, and Ferrari cannot afford strategic errors like the one in the Netherlands.
