Charles Leclerc criticized Ferrari's decision to start both drivers on soft tires during mixed conditions at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, calling it the wrong choice after both he and Lewis Hamilton fell out of the points on the first lap. Pole-sitter Max Verstappen chose intermediates and controlled the race, while Ferrari's gamble on slick rubber backfired badly.
Leclerc acknowledged being aligned with Ferrari's strategy team on the close call but questioned whether splitting tire strategies between teammates is the best approach in mixed conditions. He noted that when cars are split by definition, one choice becomes very wrong while the other proves correct, making it difficult to find middle ground.
The Monegasque driver emphasized that Red Bull consistently gets strategy decisions right with both cars, urging Ferrari to understand what Red Bull does better operationally. He specifically highlighted Red Bull's ability to make correct calls most of the time across both drivers, contrasting with Ferrari's struggles in challenging conditions.
Despite the strategic error, both Ferrari drivers recovered strongly, with Leclerc finishing fourth after an extra pit stop for front wing damage following contact with Nico Hulkenberg. He described the general lack of data on intermediate tires as making the decision more difficult, noting the biggest question was how much water remained in the track surface.