Leclerc denies error in Ferrari strategy: “No regrets” after Australian GP

Leclerc downplays Ferrari strategy in Australia

Charles Leclerc downplayed suggestions that Ferrari’s strategy cost him the victory in the first race of the 2026 season in Australia. The driver stated he had “no regrets” about the decision not to pit under the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) early in the race. Leclerc finished Sunday’s race in third position, behind winner George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, who finished second. However, the Ferrari driver led the two Mercedes drivers in the early stages. Leclerc made an excellent start from fourth on the grid, overtaking Russell at the first corner. Both drivers exchanged the lead up to seven times in the first nine laps. A VSC caused by the stopping of Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull on the side of the track on lap 11 gave the teams a great opportunity to make a pit stop, minimizing the time loss by reducing the race pace. Mercedes’ drivers took advantage of the opportunity from second and fourth position, but Leclerc, in first position, and his teammate Lewis Hamilton, in third, remained on the track. In lap 18, a second opportunity to pit under a VSC presented itself when Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac stopped near the pit lane entry, but both Ferraris missed their first opportunity, and when they reached the pit lane entry on the next lap, it had been closed to allow the marshals to remove the Cadillac. This left Ferrari with no option but to perform their pit stops at maximum race speed, which meant that Leclerc dropped back to third position when he finally came in on lap 26.

Faced with the question of whether he missed the opportunity to win by not pitting under one of the VSCs, Leclerc replied: “I don’t think so, but maybe I’m wrong.” “It seemed like these guys (Mercedes) maybe had a bit more pace than us today, but maybe not as much as we saw yesterday (in qualifying). So that’s a good thing, but I don’t think we could have won.” Leclerc was asked about the decision again during a press conference an hour later, but still defended Ferrari’s strategy, saying it was a calculated risk that didn’t pay off.

I mean, I don’t regret it. It was a conscious and desired choice.

Charles Leclerc

“Looking from FP1 until now, in each session there has been a car that stopped, at least one car. We knew there was a high chance that this wouldn’t be the only VSC of the race and we thought it was better for us to wait for another, and that’s always a gamble.” “Of course, we didn’t know this would happen. The reality is that we’ve had another safety car period after and one that was particularly well-placed, but unfortunately for this one, for us, the pit entry was closed and we couldn’t take advantage of it.” “So we were a bit unlucky in that regard, but it was a conscious choice again and I really don’t regret it.”