PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑28 Jun 2026, 03:42
“We closed the gap overnight three tenths, but we still are three tenths down today, or two-and-a-bit tenths down today, so it’s going to be very tough to challenge them tomorrow, but with a long run down to Turn 3, hopefully together we can.
“It’s great having Charles here as well, because we can hopefully work together in a strategy and try to apply pressure to them.”
Hmmm. Testing the team order waters already?!
I don't think so, no. If there are TOs they'll probably go against LH rather than for like last race. In the interest of the team, they'll probably put Leclerc on a 3-stop to repeat Barcelona's masterstroke, Hamilton on a 2-stop to hem in the Mercs. The opposite would require some acrobatics to get it to work.
If Leclerc can overtake Russell off the start and give slipstream to Hamilton they can secure a Ferrari 1-2 by the time they power out of Turn 4. Hamilton will hold up Russell while Leclerc builds a gap in clean air. If not, and we end the first lap with Russell-Leclerc-Hamilton, Charles is free to aggressively undercut Russell while Hamilton holds him back from responding since it risks exposing them to him on a 2-stop. If they do respond, whenever Leclerc comes round, Hamilton can let him through but Russell has to go through Hamilton which is much harder around here than in Barcelona.
There is no "my driver vs your driver" conspiracy theories here. The Scuderia is racing for a team victory, it's just objectively a big advantage that Ferrari have 2 cars vs 1 here.