Ferrari reveals reason for Lewis Hamilton Brazil GP struggles after stunning start

Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur has blamed tyre struggles for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s difficult race at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. 

After Ferrari suffered its weakest Friday performance of the season at Interlagos, and with unpredictable weather forecast, the team elected to fit fresh power units in Leclerc and Hamilton’s cars and take the subsequent grid penalties. 

Hamilton made a stunning start from 20th on the grid and gained 11 places on an incredible first lap, though he began to drop back down the field as he struggled to keep his intermediate tyres in the right window. 

Leclerc faced similar issues throughout the race and ultimately finished eighth, with Hamilton coming home ninth after surviving a spin when late rain arrived, forcing the field to switch back onto inters after the track had dried enough for slicks. 

Speaking about Hamilton’s early struggles with his intermediate tyres, Vasseur indicated that Ferrari’s tyre pressure choice was the main factor. 

"It was probably a question of tyre pressures," Vasseur told media in Brazil. “You cannot have a first lap like that and then not pay some price for it.”

The Frenchman went on to add: “I don't want to speak in details of technical stuff. But for sure it's a lot about tyre temperature, and in certain phases of the race or certain conditions we are struggling more.

“And yeah, there was a huge gap between the beginning of the stint of Charles on softs and last couple of laps, when he was almost as fast as the guys with new tyres.

“As usual, when you have an issue with tyres, the effect or the impact is always much, much higher than the characteristic of the car, or the upgrade that you bring. 

“You can bring an upgrade a weekend, if you are not in the right spot with the tyres, you are nowhere because the magnitude of this is half a second, but most of the upgrades or the characteristic of the track is tenths.” 

And the grid penalties only added to the headache facing Ferrari.

“This weekend I think we were able to be into the pace on some occasions, and some occasions we were far away,” Vasseur explained. 

“Then there is another issue – starting from the back with the penalty, and the fact that we are still struggling in terms of top speed. When you have only one line dry, it's mega difficult, and we are stuck at the back.

“On Friday we knew that, and then when you have to take the penalty, the approach of the weekend is a bit different.

“Friday we struggled. Saturday was much better, both conditions [dry FP3 and wet Qualifying], but I think it's an accumulation between the mix of the top speed issue, we had to put the tyres in temperature, and we are at the back, and we are struggling. And then we are trying to find a shortcut on the strategy, and so on.”