Fred Vasseur assesses ‘difficult weekend’ for Ferrari at Silverstone as he explains Charles Leclerc’s struggles

Fred Vasseur has given his tackle a “troublesome weekend” for Ferrari on the British Grand Prix, wherein Lewis Hamilton simply missed out on a podium in P4 whereas Charles Leclerc ended the day down in P14 after an early technique name backfired.

Amid altering climate circumstances at Silverstone, Leclerc opted to pit on the finish of the formation lap for slick tyres, a bet that did not repay because the Monegasque struggled to make his way back through the field.

Hamilton, in the meantime, appeared to have good tempo when the monitor began to dry in a while however, after stopping one lap too early for slicks, was unable to catch Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg for the ultimate spot on the podium.

Reflecting again on the eventful 52-lap encounter, Vasseur stated: “We had been a step down [on downforce] in comparison with McLaren. We had far more downforce than Max [Verstappen], however we had been additionally a lot quicker than Max.

“I am unsure that the pure tempo is the principle subject immediately, however what’s true is that on Charles, a minimum of, the race was finished on Lap 1. We made the decision to pit for slicks.

“After which the principle subject we had immediately was that we battle loads after we are within the soiled air to overhaul, and we spend extra [tyre] life to overhaul, generally in 10 laps, after which we’re a lot quicker. However I believe it was troublesome. It was a troublesome weekend, troublesome for the technique immediately.

“I believe everyone has tonnes of regrets, besides [Lando] Norris most likely and Nico, however while you end a race like this, you’ve got at all times had the sensation that if I had pitted one lap earlier than, one lap after, it will have been a lot better. However let’s be centered on the Quali and the championship.”

Pushed on how a lot of the choice for Leclerc to pit previous to the race begin had been within the driver’s palms given the circumstances, Vasseur defined: “The decision is coming from the driving force, for certain. However I’ve additionally to be truthful, that I may have stated no, however they’re on monitor.

“I believe the difficulty in this sort of state of affairs is that you’re doing the Formation Lap behind the Security Automobile very slowly, and you need to assess the extent of grip in these circumstances, and I am unsure that it is that simple.

“[George] Russell and Charles took the choice to pit for slicks – simple to say on the finish, but it surely was not the fitting name. However I believe Charles [on] Lap 1 understood that it was not the fitting name.”

Vasseur additionally gave an perception into the problems that the staff confronted in timing Hamilton’s later pit cease.

“I believe you’ll be able to say now that it was most likely one lap too early, additionally as a result of he went straight in Flip 3, 4, and he misplaced 4 or 5 seconds in these two corners,” the Crew Principal mirrored.

“However I believe it was [Fernando] Alonso who pitted earlier than, and he was already quicker on some corners than all the blokes on the intermediate. It is the sort of state of affairs that, for those who wait, the others are doing the transfer earlier than you – it is at all times too late.

“And I believe it is fairly simple after the race to say that the primary pit cease may have been higher, to cease one lap earlier than the second pit cease, to cease one lap later.

“However truthfully, on this, when you need to take the choice on the pit wall, it is a very difficult one, as a result of you need to be at all times into the anticipation. And on the highest, we misplaced the GPS of Lewis all of the race. It implies that we’re fully blind and we did not know the place the automotive was. It was a troublesome one.”

With the season now at its midway level, Vasseur has acknowledged that Ferrari – who sit in second place of the Teams’ Championship however with a deficit of 238 factors to leaders McLaren – will battle to catch the papaya squad, however stays constructive about the place the Scuderia stand in opposition to Mercedes and Red Bull.

“I believe we’re all lucid that will probably be greater than troublesome to come back again on McLaren,” Vasseur conceded. “First they’ve a bonus, generally on some tracks or some circumstances we’re in a position to struggle with them, however total, they’ve a bonus, and in addition they’ve an enormous benefit when it comes to championship.

“And even for those who win all of the races till the tip, I am not even certain that you can be champion in that for certain. However we’re nonetheless within the struggle with Mercedes and Pink Bull. We’re nonetheless within the struggle to win some races, and it is vital for the staff.”