Charles Leclerc would not assume Ferrari had the tempo to problem Mercedes for victory even with out the digital security automotive intervention on the Australian Grand Prix
Leclerc made a rocket begin from fourth on the grid to take the lead and had an exciting battle with pole-sitter George Russell for the primary 10 laps of Sunday’s season opener in Melbourne.
However ultimately, Mercedes outplayed Ferrari and outplayed their technique as Russell held off teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli to guide a cushty one-two for the Silver Arrows, ushering in a brand new period in F1.
Ferrari made the choice to remain out throughout the early VSC, successfully taking them out of championship competition and handing the result in Mercedes, benefiting from low-cost stops for each automobiles.
Nonetheless, Leclerc, who pushed teammate Lewis Hamilton into the ultimate spot on the rostrum, believes Mercedes had been too robust and doesn’t consider victory was because of Ferrari.
Requested if he thought Ferrari may have challenged for victory with out VSC, Leclerc stated: “I do not assume so, however perhaps I am fallacious.”
“Mercedes appeared to have a bit extra tempo than us at the moment, perhaps not as a lot as yesterday, in order that’s good. However I do not assume we may have gained.”
And Leclerc insisted he had no regrets about Ferrari’s technique.
“I do not remorse it. It was a selection I wished, a acutely aware selection I wished,” the Monegasque defined.
“Wanting from FP1 to now, each session had a minimum of one automotive stopped. We knew that this VSC was very doubtless not the one VSC of the race, so we thought perhaps it might be higher to attend for the following VSC.
“In fact, it is all the time a big gamble. We did not count on it to end up like this. The fact is that there have been different VSCs after that, one by which we had a very good place, however sadly this time the pit entrance was closed and we could not participate.”
“So I used to be a bit bit unfortunate on that entrance, however it was additionally a acutely aware selection and I do not actually remorse it.”
Hamilton appeared to query Ferrari’s technique throughout the race, however the seven-time world champion was heard saying over the crew radio: “At the least considered one of us ought to have been out!”
Nonetheless, in response to a query from Crash.web, Hamilton careworn that he had no “blended emotions” concerning the resolution.
“I received my third and fourth,” Hamilton stated. “I feel ultimately Mercedes had been quicker than us and that was most likely the most important outcome we may get at the moment.
“We’re undoubtedly going to go and see if it might have been higher to cease. After I noticed one Mercedes coming in, one in entrance of me and one behind me, I believed we must always have gone in, or a minimum of considered one of us ought to have gone in and coated.”
“However we’ll take a look at it and take into consideration what we may have performed higher.”
