Lewis Hamilton Commits to Ferrari Investigation Over P...read more

Hamilton to Review Ferrari Strategy After Australian Grand Prix Decision

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that he will discuss Ferrari’s race strategy with the team following questions over their pit-stop decisions during the opening round of the season at the Australian Grand Prix.

The race at Albert Park Circuit saw Scuderia Ferrari initially competing at the front, with Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc battling alongside the Mercedes of George Russell.

The first major turning point came on Lap 11 when Isack Hadjar was forced to stop due to an engine failure in his Red Bull Racing car. The incident triggered a Virtual Safety Car, creating an opportunity for teams to make pit stops with reduced time loss.

Mercedes reacted immediately by bringing both Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli into the pits. Ferrari, however, chose to keep both of its drivers on track, allowing them to move into the lead of the race.

Later in the race, a second VSC was deployed after Valtteri Bottas pulled over with a problem in his Cadillac Formula 1 Team car. Despite another opportunity to pit, Ferrari again decided against stopping either Hamilton or Leclerc.

Because of this, both Ferrari drivers had to complete their pit stops under normal racing conditions, costing them valuable time and positions. They eventually finished the race in third and fourth place behind the Mercedes pair.

Speaking after the race, Hamilton acknowledged that the team would analyse the situation to determine whether pitting under the VSC might have delivered a better outcome.

The British driver explained that while Ferrari secured solid points, the team would still examine whether a different call could have improved their result.

Hamilton also admitted that when he saw both Mercedes drivers heading into the pits during the first VSC, he believed Ferrari should have reacted.

According to him, bringing at least one Ferrari driver into the pits could have helped the team cover Mercedes’ strategy. He added that Ferrari would now review the race carefully to understand if they could have handled the situation better.