Ferrari's Austrian GP problems explained as Lewis Hamilton loses P2 in championship

Jamie Chadwick believes Ferrari’s disappointing Austrian GP was caused by a combination of poor straightline speed and overheating issues

Sky Sports Formula 1 pundit Jamie Chadwick believes a combination of compromised straightline speed and overheating issues hindered the Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the Austrian Grand Prix.

The Maranello outfit arrived at the Red Bull Ring hoping to capitalise on upgrades and the momentum of Hamilton's win at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. But while Leclerc and Hamilton qualified second and third, they ultimately finished in eighth and fifth, respectively.

Speaking on Sky Sports F1 during the post-race analysis, Chadwick explained: "They rolled the dice with the strategy, and it didn't really work out. Hamilton going on to the soft tyre with the virtual safety car, you would have expected him to make more progress than he did.

"The straightline speed makes a big impact as you can't pass so easily and you get stuck behind cars. A few issues compounded. But at the start of the race Lewis was right there and pushing Russell.

"I was surprised they fell away as much as they did but overheating issues may be what really set them back."

Jamie Chadwick, Jaguar TCS Racing

Photo by: Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur admitted that "everything went in the wrong direction" for the squad while speaking with Sky Sports after the race.

"We didn't have the pace to fight with Mercedes and Max Verstappen and over-pushed the first couple of laps and had to change strategy. Everything went in the wrong direction. It's a good lesson," he said.

Mercedes' George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole position. The Briton was joined on the podium by four-time champion Max Verstappen in second and the current championship leader Kimi Antonelli in third.

Russell's win resulted in him taking second in the drivers' championship back from Hamilton. Antonelli now leads with 171 points, Russell sits second with 131 points and the seven-time champion is third with 125 points.