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Ferrari’s tactical decisions during the Australian Grand Prix have come under intense scrutiny, with former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya leading the criticism. Despite a strong start that saw Charles Leclerc lead and Lewis Hamilton surge through the field, the Scuderia has been accused of throwing away a potential victory through overly conservative strategy during the race's critical phases.
Missing the Virtual Safety Car windows
The turning point of the race came when Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull stopped on track, triggering a Virtual Safety Car (VSC). While rivals like Mercedes immediately pivoted their strategy, Ferrari chose to keep both Leclerc and Hamilton out on track. The Italian team repeated this decision later in the race following the retirement of Valtteri Bottas, effectively handing the track position advantage back to George Russell.
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Montoya, speaking after the race, admitted he was stunned by the lack of proactive thinking on the Ferrari pit wall. "I really expected them to split their cars in terms of strategy," the Colombian remarked. "Mercedes knew exactly what they were doing and executed that plan perfectly. You have to take your hat off to them." He noted that Leclerc had shown the pace to stay with Russell, making the decision to stay out even more "ununderstandable."
A recurring pattern for the Scuderia
For Montoya, the errors in Melbourne were a painful reminder of Ferrari’s historical struggles with race management. He argued that while Ferrari might not have had the absolute fastest car, they had the performance to put Mercedes under immense pressure. By failing to react to the VSC opportunities, they released that pressure and settled for a safe third and fourth place finish.
"Last year we already complained that Ferrari often missed a strategic opportunity, and honestly, I have that feeling again," Montoya added. He questioned why the team appears hesitant to change course when it becomes clear their rivals have found a better path. While a double-points finish is a solid start for the championship, the lingering question remains: could Ferrari have won if they had been braver on the pit wall?
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I. Hadjar
A. Antonelli
C. Leclerc
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