Sainz and Leclerc were running third and fourth after Red Bull’s Sergio Perez had passed both drivers and moved into second.
Vasseur opted not to tell the drivers to hold station and bring home the points and instead, the message was passed on that they could continue to race each other to the flag, but with the proviso of “no risk”.
Leclerc made several bold attempts to pass his team-mate, even locking up at the first corner at the start of the final lap, but in the end, Sainz stayed ahead to claim the podium spot.
“If I froze the position you will have exactly the same question – why did you freeze the situation?” said Vasseur when asked about the decision.
“For sure it's much easier to comment when you have it at the end, but I think it was also the best way to thank everybody, the support of the tifosi and so on, and I was not that comfortable to freeze something five laps before the end.
“I trust them, but I told them no risk at all. It's always relative, and I think that the notion of no risk is relative. But it's an opinion, and I'm quite proud of the decision, and of the job done by the drivers today.”
Source: Autosport