Fred Vasseur rued the misfortune of an il-timed Safety Car during the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix that proved costly in Ferrari’s pursuit of victory, saying he forgot his “crystal ball.”
On Lap 27 Carlos Sainz elected to pit behind then-race leader Oscar Piastri, having elongated his opening stint and giving him a tyre offset lover the likes of team-mate Charles Leclerc and early pacesetter Max Verstappen.
A coming together between Logan Sargeant and Kevin Magnussen moments after Sainz pitted triggered a yellow flag and latterly a Safety Car intervention, handing the advantage to eventual race winner Lando Norris.
Had Sainz pitted a fraction later then we could be talking of the first repeat winner in 2024 without the name Verstappen.
Alas that was not the case and Vasseur put it best after the race, “I forgot the crystal ball,” he quipped.
“I was not aware that Sargent and Magnussen would crash the lap after. For sure, in this situation, you are a bit unlucky, or I would say that probably Lando was a bit lucky because he was the only one on track.”
Not only did Vasseur note Norris’ fortune, but also Verstappen’s peculiar misfortune as the safety car incorrectly identified him as the race leader for a brief moment before correcting its error.
“They are so used to having Verstappen leading the pack that they sent the safety car in front of him,” said Vasseur.
“And the safety car was quite slow and it was a very good move at the end for Lando.
“But we don’t have to extrapolate like this. I think that you had a group of four or five cars able to win today. Or even six, I think, because [Oscar] Piastri had a good pace.”
Sainz ended fourth on the road, behind podium finisher Leclerc in third, after narrowly avoiding contact with Mexican missile Sergio Perez at lights out and a late-race tussle with Oscar Piastri.
Asked whether Ferrari could have done better, Vasseur wasn’t so sure.
“I think no, the race was a bit chaotic, mainly on one side of the garage,” he said.
“If you have a look, Carlos lost two positions. He was on lap one, turn one, when Perez went completely straight. Then he had the fight with Piastri.
“So probably he could have expected a bit better on his side. But I don’t want to redo the race after the race. What happens if, if, if. I think the feeling is that we had six cars on the pace.
“Quali is crucial, the start is crucial. And for sure then the strategy. If you stay on track and you expect the safety car, and the safety car is coming at the right moment, it’s much better.”
Sainz may have finished fourth on the road but contact with Piastri landed him with a post-race five-second penalty, demoting him to fifth well after Vasseur had spoken to the media.
Vasseur felt like the pair had “a good fight” and the Turn 17 incident was similar to another instigated by Piastri.
“It was the same two or three laps before Turn 11, when Piastri went straight, that Carlos was in front,” Vasseur said.
“If Carlos took the corner, they crashed together. I think we have collectively to decide where we want to go on this one, but I think the two incidents were very similar, except that Piastri tried to take the corner on the second one.”
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