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Mattia Binotto admits Ferrari made the wrong choice with Leclerc's strategy

Mattia Binotto admits Ferrari made the wrong choice with Leclerc's strategy

27-10-2019 22:25
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Ferrari converted a one-two grid into a P2 and P4 result with Charles Leclerc missing out on the podium places in the Mexican Grand Prix. The Ferrari strategy was questioned, with Sebastian Vettel saying the team need to be "sharper". Team boss Mattia Binotto says the team overlooked the one-stop strategy for Leclerc. 

"I think what we did was right but you look at it now at the end of the race from a different perspective. They did the right choice, it's difficult for us to defend and the tyres overheating when you are following and trying to attack," Binotto told Sky Sports. 

Leclerc pitted for some more medium tyres and reacted to Aston Martin Red Bull Racing's first pitstop while the eventual race winner pitted just once for the hard tyres. Binotto admits the team should have looked at the one-stop option. 

"[For Charles' one-stop strategy] at that stage of the race was too early and looking at our data from yesterday we didn't consider the one-stop, looking now that wasn't the right choice," he added. 

"We lost some time at the pitstop with Charles, he could've been a lot closer to the cars at the end of the race. Here in Mexico we know that as in Budapest the maximum downforce is what we need, and it shows we have closed the gap quite a lot."