Ferrari’s Monza struggles exposed as Vasseur admits Hamilton pit stop was too risky – Ferrari’s Italian Grand Prix ended in disappointment as Frederic Vasseur admitted the team’s lack of straight-line speed left Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc unable to attack, defend or make the most of the Virtual Safety Car.
Despite starting from the second row and carrying significant expectations into their home race, Ferrari’s SF-26 struggled to convert qualifying pace into a competitive race result.
The problems were particularly evident whenever Ferrari found itself fighting cars ahead. The lack of top speed meant that attempts to attack an opponent came at a significant cost, while defending was equally difficult.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledged that the weakness had been identified before the weekend, but said the characteristics of the Monza circuit ultimately made the problem even more damaging.
Ferrari’s lack of top speed created a strategic problem
For Vasseur, Ferrari’s biggest issue at Monza was not simply overall performance. Instead, it was the team’s inability to compete effectively on the straights.
“The main problem was top speed and overtaking. It was almost impossible for us to attack or defend. When we attacked someone, we used up the battery and on the following straight we lost position. We were also a bit blocked strategically.”
Monza places an unusually heavy emphasis on straight-line efficiency, with long acceleration zones and relatively low-downforce configurations. Ferrari therefore entered the weekend aware that its power-unit and efficiency deficit could become a major problem during wheel-to-wheel racing.
Vasseur said the team had already anticipated the difficulty.
“We knew before the weekend that the race battle would be critical, because there were some teams that in the head-to-head matches were ten kilometers per hour faster on the straight. When we tried to put a little more energy into a corner, the gap is even bigger on the following straight and is almost impossible to manage.”
That disadvantage left Ferrari trapped in an awkward situation. Deploying more energy could help the cars gain ground through the corners, but the resulting battery deficit left them vulnerable on the following straight.
“Honestly, it’s nothing new: we knew coming to Monza that it would be like this. Then the circumstances of the race certainly didn’t help us.”
The problem was particularly important when Ferrari considered its response to the Virtual Safety Car.
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Why Ferrari did not pit Hamilton during the VSC
The VSC presented Ferrari with an opportunity to change Hamilton’s tyres while losing less time than under normal racing conditions. However, the team ultimately decided against making the stop.
Vasseur explained that Ferrari’s lack of straight-line speed made the potential gain from the pit stop far less attractive.
“If you compare him to Russell, Kimi started from the back and overtook him twice, I think his pace was enormous. But, on top of that, he also had the opportunity to stop because he had the top speed to overtake.”
The comparison highlighted the difference between Ferrari and Mercedes at Monza. Andrea Kimi Antonelli was able to recover from a difficult starting position and still make overtaking moves after stopping, because his Mercedes possessed sufficient straight-line performance to pass rivals.
Ferrari feared Hamilton would have faced a very different situation.
“In our case, if we had stopped, we would have found ourselves behind Tsunoda and Gasly and I’m not sure we would have been able to overtake them.”
That effectively restricted Ferrari’s strategic options. A conventional pit stop could have left Hamilton behind Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly, potentially costing more time than it saved.
“When you have this kind of deficit, you have to take risks or look for alternatives with the strategy. But you can’t always make them work.”
For Ferrari, the result demonstrated that its performance deficit was not merely costing lap time. It was also influencing the team’s ability to make aggressive strategic decisions during the race.
Leclerc and Hamilton situation leaves Ferrari facing questions
Ferrari’s problems were compounded by the opening laps, with the result of the battle between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton leaving the team with further points to consider.
Vasseur did not want to immediately assign responsibility or announce any team-order policy.
“The outcome of Turns 1-2 wasn’t positive for the team. If the question now is whether there will be a team order or something like that, I think it’s still early.”
The subject of team orders is particularly sensitive for Ferrari, given the championship implications of allowing two drivers to race freely when every point can become significant.
Vasseur pointed to McLaren’s experience from the previous season as an example of how difficult such decisions can become.
“Last year Piastri was ahead at this point in the season and, if McLaren had put everything on Piastri, Max Verstappen would have been champion.”
Ferrari’s team principal accepts that a point eventually arrives when a team must prioritise one driver if the championship situation demands it.
“At some point you have to make a decision. But I think it was too early to do so before Monza. Now we’ll have time to discuss it.”
Vasseur also acknowledged that managing two drivers competing for points is one of the most difficult responsibilities for a team principal.
“It’s never nice for a team to lose points. At the start of the season, I think every team principal in the world would like to let them race and only freeze positions when necessary. When you’re the team principal, it’s not an easy choice: you make it for the team and the final result.”
Vasseur refuses to let Monza disappointment define Ferrari
While Ferrari’s home race produced frustration, Vasseur also made a point of congratulating Antonelli on his victory.
“I’m incredibly happy for Kimi. He deserved it, and I congratulate him.”
The Ferrari boss also urged the team and its supporters not to overreact to one difficult weekend.
“We’ll have ups and downs throughout the season, and we shouldn’t react this way. Tomorrow morning we’ll be back at the factory, preparing for Madrid, and we’ll arrive there with all the energy we need to achieve a good result.”
However, Vasseur admitted that the disappointment was greater because of the significance of racing at Monza in front of Ferrari’s passionate home supporters.
“For us, Monza, even though I spent the week saying it was a normal race, it wasn’t, as you can imagine. With all the fans present this weekend, we expected to give them something different, as a huge thank you for the support and enthusiasm they’ve shown us. We all feel like we’ve failed somewhere, but I’m sure we’ll be back next week and be much stronger.”
Attention now turns to Madrid, where Ferrari will hope the circuit’s characteristics are more favourable to the SF-26.
“It’s too early to think about Madrid and have any expectations. I need to digest the weekend first. The track layout is probably a bit more suited to what we have today, and we can expect something more next week. But first, let me digest this weekend.”
Ferrari therefore leaves Monza with more than a disappointing result. The weekend exposed a weakness that affected qualifying, overtaking, defensive ability and strategic flexibility. The Madrid race should provide the first opportunity to determine whether Monza was an unusually difficult circuit for Ferrari or whether the underlying limitations of the SF-26 remain a much broader concern.
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