News Summary
- Charles Leclerc says Ferrari must improve its decisions after choosing the wrong starting tyres at Sepang.
- He highlighted Red Bull as a team that gets those calls right more consistently.
- Leclerc recovered to fourth and defended Frédéric Vasseur amid speculation about Ferrari’s leadership.
Charles Leclerc called on Ferrari to improve its race decisions, identifying Red Bull as a benchmark after the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The Monegasque recovered to fourth at Sepang, but the result did not remove his concerns about how Ferrari handled the changing conditions.
Both Ferrari drivers committed to soft slick tyres for the start while the circuit remained too wet for that choice to work. Red Bull and Mercedes opted for intermediates, giving their drivers a substantial advantage during the opening phase of the Formula 1 race.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia after the Grand Prix, Leclerc acknowledged that he had initially believed Ferrari’s decision was correct. With the outcome clear, however, he said the team needed to learn from competitors that made better calls more consistently.
“I’m thinking particularly of Red Bull, and on that we need to take a step forward,” Leclerc said.
Ferrari’s recovery does not erase the starting mistake
Leclerc’s afternoon involved more than the wrong tyre choice. Contact with Nico Hülkenberg left him with a puncture and front-wing damage, requiring a stop that dropped him to the back of the field.
He then worked his way forward as conditions improved and the race developed. The late restart provided another opportunity, with Leclerc passing Isack Hadjar to finish fourth behind teammate Lewis Hamilton.
The recovery gave Ferrari third and fourth in the full Sepang race results. Nevertheless, Leclerc distinguished the strength of that comeback from the decisions that had made it necessary.
Ferrari’s ability to recover did not mean its opening approach had been successful. The team had lost substantial ground before it could demonstrate its pace on a more suitable tyre.
Leclerc sees fourth as the best available result
Leclerc also acknowledged that he had struggled to extract the car’s full potential. Inconsistent behaviour complicated his afternoon even after the early damage and tyre problems had been addressed.
“At the end of the day, I think P4 on my side was the best I could do,” he said.
His assessment combined satisfaction with the final position and recognition that Ferrari had lessons to take from the race. A strong result after a difficult opening could coexist with shortcomings in execution.
That distinction added another perspective to Frédéric Vasseur’s assessment of Ferrari’s recovery. The team principal praised both drivers’ pace and management while acknowledging that Ferrari had chosen the wrong starting tyres.
Vasseur nevertheless maintained that the decision was difficult in those conditions, even with hindsight. Leclerc’s emphasis was on improving Ferrari’s consistency when similar situations arise.
Strategy criticism comes with support for Vasseur
Leclerc’s call for improvement was accompanied by support for Ferrari’s leadership. He defended Vasseur’s efforts to return the team to the front and expressed frustration with speculation surrounding the team principal.
Leclerc said Ferrari remained united, making clear that his criticism of the race decisions was part of the team’s work to improve. His priority was to turn the lessons from Sepang into better execution at future races.
Ferrari collected 27 points in Malaysia, with Hamilton finishing third and Leclerc fourth. The next opportunity comes immediately, as the championship moves to Singapore for a Sprint weekend.
Formula 1 returns next weekend, from 9–11 October, for the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action.
F1 today: FAQ
Why did F1 cars lose power before the Bahrain GP in Malaysia?
The FIA identified a combination of low engine speed, low grip, wet-weather energy management settings and Sepang’s sector configuration. It distributed a software update before the race and announced a full review with teams and power unit manufacturers.
Can Kimi Antonelli win the F1 championship in Singapore?
No. Antonelli leads George Russell by 84 points, but even a Singapore Sprint and Grand Prix double would not secure the title. Austin on 25 October is his earliest possible opportunity, depending on his results and those of the remaining contenders.
When is the next F1 race, and is Singapore a Sprint weekend?
The next race is the Singapore Grand Prix on 11 October, with track activity beginning on Friday, 9 October. It is a Sprint weekend: Sprint qualifying takes place on Friday, followed by the Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.
