Former F1 TV presenter Will Buxton claimed that Ferrari “robbed us probably of a extremely good race” on the Australian Grand Prix.
The season-opening race at Albert Park in Melbourne began with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc taking the lead from polesitter George Russell. The battle between the Ferrari and Mercedes driver continued by way of the primary part of the race till the twelfth lap when Isack Hadjar’s retirement triggered the digital security automobile (VSC).
Whereas the vast majority of drivers selected to pit underneath the VSC, Ferrari opted to remain out. “At the very least certainly one of us ought to have are available in!” Hamilton mentioned over the crew radio. The Maranello outfit was confronted with the identical choice once more when Valtteri Bottas retired on lap 19. Once more, Ferrari stayed out.
“I believe they only wished observe place, to be accountable for the race, to be in command of the race and lead from the entrance,” Buxton mentioned on the Up To Velocity podcast.
“However Lewis himself questioned even throughout that interval, at the least you must have pitted certainly one of us and break up the methods for those who wished observe place, sacrifice one however not each. And I agree with that. I completely agree with that.
“We noticed it with McLaren final yr in Qatar, and the catastrophe that that was for them. Fred Vasseur has come out, defended the choice, defended the crew, however I believe if you end up in that place, to not react and never react the following time round both whereas the digital was nonetheless out, simply to take care of observe place…”
He added: “As I mentioned already, I believe [it] robbed us probably of a extremely good race between Ferrari and Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Alastair Staley / LAT Pictures through Getty Pictures
“What I did like seeing, although, was a Lewis Hamilton extra snug in his personal pores and skin, extra snug in his automobile. Not on the rostrum, however not far off.”
Whereas Buxton argued that the race would have been extra thrilling if Ferrari had opted for a similar technique as Mercedes, he supplied a defence for the Fred Vasseur-led crew.
“I imply, of their defence, and I’ll hardly ever do that, however of their defence, I do not suppose anyone was anticipating the tyres to final so long as they did,” he continued.
“And that digital security automobile got here out so early that I believe Ferrari have been most likely it considering, if we will stretch these tyres longer, we will do it on a one-stop, and everyone else goes to need to do it on a two-stop.
“Subsequently, observe place is definitely helpful for us, and in any regular race, that idea is sound, however as a result of the tyres lasted so long as they did, Mercedes was capable of cease that early and make these tyres final all the way in which to the top, I do not suppose anyone kind of foresaw that.”
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