The latest setback in Hamilton’s rookie season at Ferrari came in Belgium, when an incident-filled round stopped the momentum he had been gaining.
Following consecutive Q1 exits due to a spin under braking into the Bus Stop chicane and a track restrictions infringement at Raidillon, Hamilton expressed regret to the team.
Despite his inability to gain any position in the 15-lap Sprint Race, Hamilton managed to rescue seventh place in the Grand Prix with a heroic comeback effort.
Ferrari recorded multiple daring overtaking maneuvers in the few laps raced in wet weather, demonstrating the value of his pre-race modification to a more loaded rear wing.
Hamilton’s race, however, really took off after he switched to slicks on Lap 11, which helped him move up seven spots to where he was at the checkered flag.
According to Vasseur, Hamilton was able to continue his active scoring streak because of a collective decision to discard the Intermediates at that exact moment.
“Undoubtedly, you have to gamble a little bit when you are in this situation,” Vasseur told Motorsport Week and other media.
The problem is that we were far from the crossover and were severely undermining the Inter.
“The Inter was a complete failure; they had vanished entirely.” You are also six or seven seconds quicker when you put on a fresh pair of Inter.
However, I believe that was a somewhat aggressive call made at the correct time.
Charles [Leclerc] and I were very close to doing it, but he would have gotten stuck in traffic.
“I believe it was the right decision at the right time, and it meant that we did it with Lewis.” The drivers and the team must always decide together, so don’t try to divide them.
“The Inter was a complete failure; they had vanished entirely.” Putting on a new pair of Inter also makes you six or seven seconds faster.
But in my opinion, that was a reasonably forceful call made at the right moment.
I came very close to doing it with Charles [Leclerc], but he would have been caught in traffic.
“I believe it was the right decision at the right time, and it meant that we did it with Lewis.” Don’t try to split the drivers and the team; they must constantly make decisions together.