Singapore GP defeat important for Leclerc, says Brawn

Former Ferrari chief Ross Brawn believes losing the Singapore Grand Prix will prove to be a positive for Charles Leclerc as it will give his team greater focus and motivation.

Leclerc lost out to an undercut strategy by Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel who claimed the lead during the pit stop switches and duly stormed to his first win since the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old didn’t hide his frustration at Ferrari’s strategy calls having felt he lost out on victory as a result, denying him a third consecutive F1 Grand Prix triumph, which cast doubt over the internal partnerships between the two Ferrari drivers.

But F1’s Managing Director for Motorsport Brawn, who was a Ferrari chief between 1997 to 2006, feels the fallout from the Singapore race could end up being a benefit to both the team and Leclerc in the future.

“Though it may sound strange to say it, it was actually also important for Charles who was clearly unhappy with how the race played out,” Brawn said.

“The Monegasque is hungry for wins, and so he should be, but in the long term even he will benefit from the fact the team will be much calmer now, with fewer distractions, and more able to concentrate on developing the car, which is a vital part of the preparation for next season.”

Brawn also felt the obvious positives for both Vettel and Ferrari provides timely progress for the team’s 2020 preparations as it looks to overhaul the current dominance held by Mercedes.

“It was an important moment for the German who has been through a difficult period, especially in Monza when he was the member of the Ferrari team with little to smile about,” he said.

“It was also a morale booster for the entire team, starting with Mattia Binotto. Ferrari has clearly made progress with its car and the updates brought to Singapore had a marked effect on a circuit where downforce is key. The success of those updates bodes well for the team’s 2020 campaign as well.

“On top of that, the win was inevitably a weight off Vettel’s back. It will restore confidence and also relieve some of the pressure resulting from Leclerc’s phenomenal progress and any affect that has had on dynamics within the team.”