Ferrari chief Frederic Vasseur admits Charles Leclerc ‘mistake’ as big call backfires

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Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has admitted that Charles Leclerc made a key ‘mistake’ during the 2024 British Grand Prix after his big call backfired at Silverstone.

The 26-year-old endured one of his worst races of the season so far last time out as Leclerc salvaged P14. It marked his lowest finishing position this year after also failing to take points in the Austrian GP. Not since the end of 2020 had Leclerc failed to score in successive races.

But a P7 finish in the F1 Sprint at the Austrian GP at least saw Leclerc leave the Red Bull Ring with two points from the weekend. Only at the Canadian GP when Ferrari retired his car due to an engine issue had Leclerc failed to take any points in a 2024 round before the British GP.

Charles Leclerc made a ‘mistake’ pitting for intermediate tyres in the British Grand Prix

Leclerc had a troubled time at the Northamptonshire circuit after struggling for grip saw him exit qualifying in P11. It also then took the Monegasque until Lap 13 to overtake Lance Stroll after getting stuck behind the Aston Martin driver following a positive start saw him take P7.

Yet Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz was still in range, but Leclerc gambled on pitting for a set of intermediate tyres as rain started to hit Silverstone on Lap 19. Yet few other drivers took the chance to pit with slick tyres still the correct compound for the slightly damp conditions.

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Sauber racer Valtteri Bottas quickly overtook Leclerc following his pit stop. Ferrari would also have to call him back in for another set of inters on L27 as the British GP truly became a wet race. But while Vasseur admits it was the wrong call to pit on L19, Leclerc needed to make it.

“We give them information, we propose the stop but they make the final decision,” Vasseur said, via quotes by AS. “In this case, and I spoke to Charles, he may be disappointed when he sees the result at the end. It is clear that it was not the right one.

“But he is also motivated because, at that moment, he was about 10 seconds behind Carlos. Subconsciously, you know that the only way to get into the fight for the podium is to make a risky decision. It was a mistake because he could have finished sixth.

“But I am not angry. Hamilton and Russell went wide at Turn 1 on the same lap, it was close to being a good decision.”

Ferrari needed a risky strategy to have any chance of a podium at Silverstone

Leclerc decided to pit for the intermediate tyres on Lap 19 of the British GP after Ferrari told the 24-time pole-sitter that the conditions would worsen at Silverstone when rain started to drench Stowe. But the opposite side of the circuit nearer Brooklands to Copse was still drier.

Ferrari needed the rain to carry over Silverstone for Leclerc’s pit stop gamble to pay off. But it was not to be and his race was effectively run there and then. The Monegasque even lost further time after his stop on L27 whilst being lapped to fall over 114 seconds behind Sainz.

That was the price of Leclerc and Ferrari’s mistake by stopping for the intermediate tyres on L19 of the British GP. He needed a safety car to stand any chance of recovering the time lost. But a podium was still unlikely with Sainz finishing the British GP in P5, 47.318s off the lead.