Hamilton’s Barcelona win puts Ferrari strategy and Mercedes calls under focus
Lewis Hamilton’s victory for Ferrari in Barcelona was widely linked to strategy, including a pit stop under the virtual safety car that put him ahead of George Russell. Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur said Hamilton’s pace on an early-committed three-stop plan meant he could have won even without that VSC.
Across coverage of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, attention centred on how Hamilton’s strategy unfolded against Mercedes. Hamilton pitted under the virtual safety car and rejoined ahead of George Russell, a key moment discussed by multiple outlets.
Ferrari had expected high tyre degradation and committed Hamilton to a three-stop race early, with his first stop made at the end of lap 11 after starting on the soft tyre. Fred Vasseur said Hamilton’s pace on that approach was strong enough that he would have won even without the VSC intervention.
On the Mercedes side, post-race analysis focused on whether the team compromised its own chances by allowing its drivers to fight and whether team orders might have changed the outcome. Russell also said Ferrari’s strategy left Mercedes facing a dilemma and that his position was, to some extent, forced.