13/07/2025 16:20
Ferrari feels Lewis Hamilton's frustrations at his Austrian GP
strategy "is not a big talking point" as an explanation was offered
behind the decision. At the Red Bull Ring, Ferrari was set for a
comfortable three-four finish behind the runaway McLarens, with
Mercedes and Red Bull not challenging during the 70-lap race.
Hamilton was running fourth behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, with
a two-stop strategy favoured with a medium-hard-medium split, but
after Leclerc's final stop, Hamilton enquired whether he could have
stayed out to attempt a one-stop. Liam Lawson and Fernando Alonso
both managed to complete the one-stop to sixth and seventh, with
Ferrari ultimately deciding to pit Hamilton soon after Leclerc, in
effect ensuring he finished fourth. Hamilton did hold talks with
the team regarding strategy ahead of the British GP, with deputy
team boss Jerome D'Ambrosio explaining how there was "no incentive"
for Ferrari to risk its three-four result. "Drivers always want
more; they want to fight and finish ahead of whoever is in front of
them," D'Ambrosio told media, including RacingNews365. "The reality
in Spielberg was that we had an optimal strategy, and it was
important for us to make sure we brought home what we had; there
was no incentive as a team to move away from that optimal
strategy. "Drivers will question after every race, but after
Austria, it was pretty straightforward; they understood the big
picture, which they don't always see in the race, so it is not a
big talking point." When then asked if Ferrari should have adopted
a different strategy for Hamilton when there was "nothing to lose",
D'Ambrosio urged caution. "For us, nothing to lose is always a
strong word to use," he explained. "From the team's perspective,
what is there to gain, and the reality is that there was nothing to
gain, and you always want to be fair to both drivers, and not put
one in a situation where they are uncomfortable. "There was no
need to reinvent the wheel."
