Fred Vasseur defends controversial Ferrari strategy at Italian Grand Prix

Sainz, Verstappen, ItalianGP — Photo: © LAT Images

Italian Grand Prix

Vasseur defends controversial Ferrari strategy at Italian Grand Prix

The F1 team principal has insisted he made the right call in front of an adoring home crowd at Monza

Lauren Sneath

Wednesday 6 September 2023 14:36

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Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has defended the decision to let Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc battle it out towards the end of the Italian Grand Prix.

Sainz was in P3 ahead of Leclerc with only a handful of laps still to go, and the team allowed the Monegasque driver to fight to gain a position on the podium.

Luckily for Sainz, Leclerc couldn’t quite catch him in the final few laps and the Spaniard walked away with his first podium place of the season, while his team-mate took P4.

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The decision marked a departure from Ferrari's usual strategy, which prioritises the needs of the team over individual driver glory.

On previous occasions, Sainz has not been allowed to take the fight to Leclerc in front, being ordered instead to hold his position and ensure a strong team result overall.

Vasseur: Ferrari fight was my decision

Carlos Sainz managed third place at the Italian Grand Prix

But it seems the team changed tack in Monza, and Vasseur has insisted that the decision was ‘the best way to thank the fans for their support’.

He said he was ‘proud’ of how the drivers behaved and added that he wanted to leave them ‘free’ rather than constrain them.

As reported by Corriere della Sera, Vasseur explained: "It was the best way to thank the fans for their support, it was not fair to set an order with four laps to go.

“I trusted them, I said not to take risks, even if in these cases the 'zero risk' does not exist. I am proud of how they behaved and the result.

“It was my decision, on these things it's up to me to say the last word. I felt more comfortable leaving them free than constraining them. It's not like I didn't shake in those moments too.”