Vasseur Admits Ferrari’s Strategy Blunder: “We Got It Wrong”

Ferrari misjudged the rain in Melbourne, costing valuable points. Team boss Fred Vasseur reflects on the error and what comes next.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur admits that the team made a strategic mistake at the Australian Grand Prix by keeping both drivers on track while the rain intensified at Albert Park. With just five points collected from the race, Vasseur is choosing to focus on the positives.

“The result is disappointing because even in qualifying, we didn’t put everything together. Our pace was much stronger than what we showed, so that’s the first thing,” Vasseur told Canal+.

“Today’s strategy was tricky. In the end, we made the wrong call—there’s no denying that. We tried to stay out like Max, hoping to survive on dry tires. But we misjudged the rain, thinking it would pass quickly.”

Despite the setback, Vasseur is staying optimistic, emphasizing Ferrari’s strong pace over the weekend:
“There are still 23 races to go, and we need to focus on what’s ahead. The speed we showed on Friday, both in single-lap and long-run pace, was promising. That’s what we need to take away from this, rather than just a failed strategy gamble.”

A Difficult Call in Unpredictable Conditions

Ferrari had anticipated the level of rain correctly, but the changing conditions made decision-making difficult:
“In these situations, two sectors were almost dry, while the third was very wet. So, in a way, the drivers had to make the call.”

However, Vasseur refuses to point fingers:
“It’s not about blaming anyone. It didn’t work out, but we need to understand what went wrong in our forecasting system. More than just knowing if the track is slippery, it’s about accurately judging how long the rain will last.”

The key lesson? Better rain intensity measurement.
“Saying ‘it’s going to rain’ isn’t enough—we need precise data. The difference today was that it was only raining heavily in sector 3. Our strategy wasn’t completely wrong, but we should have pitted a lap earlier—just like Max did.”