Formula 1 is back after a month-long summer break. The summer break was a good opportunity for all teams to look back at the first half, reflect and make changes, if necessary. One team definitely needed the time off to look back and reflect. However, Ferrari, the team might not have utilized the summer break with Belgian GP as proof.
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Scuderia Ferrari went into the summer break with an abysmal run of races. A much-needed summer break could’ve been used as a fresh start. However, events of the Belgian GP qualifying showcase they haven’t learned their lesson yet. The Scuderia opted to take a grid penalty for the Belgian GP for Leclerc. This meant the Monegasque would start from the back of the grid.
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This presented the team with an opportunity to help Carlos Sainz during the qualifying. Leclerc would help Sainz by giving him a tow on the last flying lap of qualifying for a better result. After Leclerc completed his out laps and flying lap for Q3, the Monegasque was pitted to everyone’s surprise.
The decision baffled everyone, but Leclerc came out of the pits right before Sainz started his lap. However, Ferrari slapped on a fresh set of tires on Leclerc’s F1-75 in the pits to help with the tow. The fresh tires did not have any temperature in them and Leclerc’s tow was not as effective as Sainz stayed second fastest behind Verstappen.
Following the strategic call, former driver Timo Glock commented, “You can really only laugh. I really can’t think of anything anymore.”
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A harsh assessment in truth, but Ferrari brought that upon themselves with the call.
Poor strategic calls by Ferrari cost the team and drivers massive points
The example from the Belgian GP is minuscule compared to the blunders from the first half of the season.
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Formula One F1 – Hungarian Grand Prix – Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary – July 30, 2022 Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc are seen after qualifying second and third REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
One of the first prominent examples is Ferrari’s poor strategy to bring Leclerc in right behind Sainz at the Monaco GP. The call saw Leclerc wait behind his teammate in the pits as the call not only saw Leclerc lose his lead but the call also handed Red Bull a win.
The latest example is from the Hungarian GP, where Leclerc went into the pit four times. The Italian team put Leclerc on hard compounds during the race with sufficient data on the tire’s ineffectiveness. A decision that was mocked by fellow drivers after the race as well.
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WATCH THIS STORY: Ferrari Strategy Fails We Will Never Forget
The poor strategic calls are the bane of Leclerc’s season so far. If the Belgian GP qualifying is proof, this will be the case as far as we can tell.
