Ferrari boss’ strategy hailed as a contrast to “nerdy engineers”

Ferrari’s Fred Vasseur has been credited for his race-winning pitstop strategy at last weekend’s F1 Italian Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc was five seconds behind race leader Oscar Piastri when the McLaren driver pitted for the second time.

Ferrari opted to leave Leclerc on a one-stop strategy which resulted in a sensational win in front of the Tifosi at their home grand prix.

“That would certainly be Fred’s influence,” Nico Rosberg told the Sky F1 podcast about the intervention which aided Leclerc.

“Fred is a racer. He doesn’t need to follow what a computer is telling him, he goes by feel, and what he sees.

“It’s a nice contrast to some of those nerdy engineers in front of their screens who sometimes forget to look outside at what’s really happening!

“Also, it was a big decision to make because there was a less than 50% chance that they would get the win by doing that.

“It was rolling the dice, looking at the odds, saying ‘we are in Monza, there is a 35-40% if we do this…’”

Ferrari 'outsider's shot' at F1 title

Ferrari have won three grands prix this season, after Carlos Sainz won in Singapore in late-2023.

Sainz won again in Australia this year, before Leclerc won his home race in Monaco for the first time.

Leclerc’s victory in Monza last weekend was another hugely emotional result for the Italian manufacturer.

“You can’t take away from Charles, that he’s now finally got that maiden win at Monaco, and the team won at Monza,” Natalie Pinkham said.

“They want them more consistently. The biggest problem they’ve had is ebbing and flowing through the season, not understanding the car.

“They have said ‘we don’t understand’ even when the car is quick, they don’t understand where the pace is coming from. That has been niggling at them.

“They are evocative images that will really pull the team together for 2025 and beyond.”

Ferrari find themselves 39 points behind leaders Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.

Rosberg insists they should have hope of winning it: “Yes of course it could happen.

“With the form they have, they are not the favourites. McLaren, by far, are the favourites.

“It depends on Ferrari’s upgrade. It looked good but Monza is an outlier. Is it going to look good at other places?

“If it is working so well, they will have an outsider’s shot at the constructors'.”

Leclerc urged caution after winning the Italian Grand Prix about the significant upgrade package which was designed to cure Ferrari’s bouncing.