Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has revealed Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were nursing issues on their cars in the closing stages of Formula 1‘s Spanish Grand Prix.
Leclerc capitalised on the chaos that ensued late on in Barcelona to claim a second successive podium, but Hamilton’s struggles continued as he propped up in sixth.
Hamilton had lined up as the leading Ferrari, but Leclerc placed him under immediate pressure to trigger the team to impose a swap between the two on the ninth lap.
The Briton dropped as much as 10 seconds back as he complained about lacking rear grip, though he was closing on those ahead when the Safety Car was deployed.
However, Hamilton couldn’t capitalise as Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg passed him on the penultimate tour, but he returned to sixth when Max Verstappen was penalised.
Hamilton was despondent post-race as he described it as his “worst race” ever, but Vasseur has detailed that there was a problem on the SF-25 that blighted his pace.
“You are experienced enough to not draw a conclusion after the first words of the driver,” Vasseur told media including Motorsport Week.
“If you want to create a polemic, you can, but it’s not the case.
“I think we did 70 per cent of the race in front of [George] Russell. I’m not sure that Russell said that the race was a disaster.
“But then we had an issue on the car, the last stint, before the Safety Car, and the result is not good. But he did 45 laps in front of Russell.”
Leclerc navigated gremlin en route to Spain podium
Like Hamilton, Leclerc’s lap times dropped in the closing laps to the point where his third place was under threat until Russell and Verstappen clashed down at Turn 5.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff highlighted that there had been oil coming from the Monegasque’s Ferrari, but Vasseur has denied that was the cause behind any problem.
However, the Frenchman divulged that there was a gremlin that had been hindering Leclerc, a hitch that was separate from the one that Hamilton had been managing.
“We had a small issue also on the other car, but not about the oil,” Vasseur clarified. “I don’t know where it’s coming from, from the car. I don’t know that.”
READ MORE – Why Ferrari will continue with ‘extreme’ SF-25 set-ups despite Monaco exploits
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