Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur admits that a double retirement for the team in the Dutch Grand Prix was “a very tough outcome”, but that the Scuderia “don’t need to have extra motivation for Monza” this weekend.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s races at the Zandvoort Circuit on Sunday came to an abrupt end at the banked Turn 3 following crashes, leaving Ferrari point-less in the first race back after the summer break.
Hamilton retired after losing control of his car over the painted advertising as light rain fell before hitting the barrier on the outside of the circuit.
“I think he was just a bit wider than the previous lap and probably with the drizzle that we had at this stage the track was a bit damp. He lost the car,” said Vasseur on Hamilton’s incident.
The Briton was also handed a five-place grid penalty for the Italian Grand Prix this weekend after a yellow flag infringement on reconnaissance laps to the grid at Zandvoort.
Leclerc’s race ended after contact from behind by Kimi Antonelli, the Mercedes rookie handed a 10-second penalty for the incident on Lap 52.
Leclerc had also been placed under investigation for contact with the second Mercedes of George Russell earlier in the race after an audacious overtake at Turn 11/12, with the stewards eventually deeming that no further action would be taken.
Vasseur agreed that it was a racing incident and was encouraged by the team’s pace despite the overall outcome, especially after a difficult Friday where both cars were off the pace.
“The race pace today was good, we overtook two times George on track, we were catching up on Max [Verstappen in third] and score zero at the end,” he said.
“It’s a very tough outcome for the team because for the championship and even for the approach of Monza it’s not the best one. But for sure if we want to do better a job, we have to do a much better Friday.
“For sure it’s not the best preparation but on the other hand we don’t need to have extra motivation for Monza.
“Everybody will push. What we have to do for sure is a much better Friday to put us in a better shape for the Quali and for the race because when you start behind you have to overtake, you have to take risk.”
