F1 News
Red Bull on course for dominant title: 'Unthinkable scenario back then'
- GPblog.com
Ferrari' s strategy in Budapest was a hot topic at the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix. In the race the team stopped Charles Leclerc for a stint on the hardest tyre, while the competition was much faster on the yellow mediums. They did this to stop Max Verstappen, who was doing an undercut on the race lead.
Leclerc came onto the track ahead of the Dutchman, but had absolutely no speed on the hardest tyre. Verstappen was able to overtake the Ferrari driver with ease and even after a spin by the reigning world champion, Leclerc was still hardly an obstacle on the hard tyre. Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes the Monegasque could have won with a different strategy.
Leclerc could have won
"If Leclerc had given up track position and followed the strategy of Sainz and Hamilton by stopping late for the softest tyre, he would probably have won the race or at least fought for the win," Palmer believes in his analysis on Formula1.com.
Palmer is critical of Ferrari, explaining that they only make good strategic choices when they are clearly the fastest. In dynamic situations, such as multiple stops in Hungary, they seem to run into problems and lose out to Mercedes and Red Bull.
Red Bull dominant
"As a result, we are now going into the summer break with Verstappen and Red Bull running away from the rest and Ferrari having to start looking backwards at Mercedes who are rapidly closing in." Palmer sees it as an unthinkable scenario, given the start of the season. Yet everything points to a second world title for Verstappen with Red Bull.