How ‘one lap more’ unexpectedly threw Ferrari’s strategy into chaos

The aftermath of the Dutch Grand Prix sparked controversy at Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton repeatedly voicing his frustration over radio after losing valuable time behind Charles Leclerc while the two were running different strategies. The Briton eventually finished less than a secondo behind George Russell, leaving him convinced that the time lost behind his teammate ultimately cost him a place on the podium.

Speaking to GPblog and others after the race, the Frenchman explained that Ferrari had initially expected Hamilton to pit when he closed back in on Charles Leclerc, before asking him to remain out for an additional lap due to traffic around the car. According to Vasseur, that made an immediate position swap difficult to execute, although he admitted the team should have communicated more clearly to Hamilton that he was expected to stay out until the end of the race.

Charles Leclerc also questioned Ferrari’s handling of the Dutch Grand Prix, admitting he struggled to understand the timing of his final pit stop while fighting George Russell for the final podium position. The Monegasque felt stopping only a few laps after Russell effectively left him with little opportunity to overturn the position and believed there was still enough life in his tyres to extend the stint.

Leclerc acknowledged that he and Hamilton were pursuing different strategies at that stage, but felt remaining on track for longer would have been the better option from his perspective. However, he also pointed to the unfortunate timing of the Virtual Safety Car and Ferrari’s disappointing qualifying performance as key factors behind the result, arguing that starting further down the grid had already left the team in a compromised position.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the race, he said: "I didn't really understand why we had to box so close to George's pit stop, because that really was kind of signing to finishing behind George. With a two or three-lap difference, for me, there wasn't much I could have done. I felt like there was a bit more in my tyres. Obviously, Lewis and I were on different strategies at that point, but I felt that what was right was staying a bit longer on the track. But at the end of the day, it's the way it is.