Ferrari issue statement on disastrous strategy at Australian GP amid Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc criticism

Ferrari have issued an explanation over their strategy decisions for both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc during the Australian Grand Prix.

The two Scuderia drivers were the last to pit for intermediate tyres, along with Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda, when the rain fell in the last quarter of the race.

The decision to stay out a lap longer than other drivers effectively cost them any opportunity of solid points, with both forced to pit under a subsequent safety car.

Leclerc eventually finished eighth, with Hamilton behind him in 10th. But the Brit in particular missed out on what could potentially have been a top five finish.

Audio released after the race revealed how the Brit told race engineer Riccardo Adami that Ferrari had made the wrong decision in keeping him on the track on dry tyres for a lap too long.

Leclerc, meanwhile, told F1's Lawrence Barretto: "We were a bit too late for the pit stop and we lost a few of the positions. We'll look into it, it's only the first race of the season."

Following the Grand Prix, team principal Frederic Vasseur spoke to the media about why Ferrari opted to go down a different strategic route to other teams in Melbourne - and admitted that the Scuderia got it wrong.

He said: "It was a strange situation because sector one and two were still dry, and sector three was completely wet. And it was kind of a bet, I think, Red Bull and us, we bet on the fact that we have to stay on track and to wait for the last part of the race with slicks.

"When Mercedes and McLaren, but McLaren it's also because they went out that they pitted two laps before.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur pictured before the 2025 Australian GP (Image: Getty)

"We made the wrong call, because I think the best option was to pit the same lap as Max and we made the wrong call at this stage."

Hamilton confirmed he had received information that the rain was unlikely to get heavier while he was still on dry tyres - something which turned out not to be the case.

"The information I got was that it was just a short shower, real quick," he told Sky Sports F1. "And at the time, it was only in the last corner.

"So I was like, the rest of the track was dry, I can keep this on track if that's all that's coming. And then more came."

The Grand Prix was eventually won by McLaren's Lando Norris, who overtook both Hamilton and Leclerc on track after switching to intermediates.

He finished ahead of Verstappen, with Red Bull's decision to pit the Dutchman on lap 46 ultimately paying off.

Leclerc passed Hamilton after the safety car restart for ninth place, before both drivers overtook Alpine's Pierre Gasly.

The seven-time world champion was then passed by McLaren's Oscar Piastri on the final lap to bring to a close what had been a largely disappointing day for the Scuderia.