Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has said it will run a full investigation of the brake failure that retired Lewis Hamilton from the Spanish Grand Prix.
Hamilton retired in the early stages of the Spanish GP, explaining after the race that his brake pedal was going long which left him struggling to slow the car.
Speaking to media after the race, Ferrari Team Principal Vasseur revealed that the team didn’t know what had caused the brake failure.
“At this stage, we don’t yet know the exact cause of the brake system issue that forced him to retire,” he said. “But we will investigate it thoroughly.
“The pedal was long. We tried to fix it from the pit wall, and then it happened again.”
Strategy gamble paid off for Leclerc
Charles Leclerc finished fourth in Madrid, saving Ferrari’s weekend from complete disappointment after Hamilton’s DNF.
Leclerc trialled an alternative strategy, running a long stint on the hard tyre that lasted for the majority of the race before pitting.
“Like a few other teams, we split the strategy, starting one car on the soft compound and the other on the hard,” Vasseur said.
“With Charles, we were leading the group that started on the hard tyre, and he drove a very strong first stint, pushing for almost 50 laps while maintaining good pace throughout.
“We knew there was a reasonable chance of a safety car or a red flag, so we decided to extend the stint and keep that opportunity open.
“A red flag could have put us in a position to fight for the win, while a late safety car could have given us a shot at third. In the end neither happened, but I think it was absolutely worth trying and Charles delivered a very solid performance.”
Hamilton remains third in the Driver’s Championship, with Leclerc behind in fifth.
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