Canadian Grand Prix Recap: Ferrari’s Strategic Missteps Costly
Nico Rosberg has criticized Ferrari’s performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, labeling the team’s approach as "clumsy" following a disappointing weekend that saw Charles Leclerc finish fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth. This result has allowed Mercedes to overtake Ferrari in the constructors’ standings, positioning the Scuderia third, a substantial 191 points behind championship leader McLaren.
During the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 Show podcast, Rosberg detailed strategic errors he observed throughout the race, stating, "They stopped Lewis into a bunch of traffic, which cost him significant race time. They had a free opportunity for a one-stop strategy with Charles but didn’t capitalize on it. There was ample space behind."
Hamilton echoed frustrations stemming from a collision with a groundhog on lap 9, which resulted in a loss of approximately 20 points of downforce—roughly half a second per lap. “I was feeling pretty decent until then… I didn’t see it happen, but I heard I hit a groundhog. That’s devastating,” Hamilton stated, further noting issues with his brakes and the timing of his pit stops that compounded the team’s challenges.
Looking ahead, Ferrari will aim to regroup for the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring from June 27-29. The team’s ability to refine their strategy and recover from missteps will be crucial in the remainder of the season.
