Ralf Schumacher reveals floundering Ferrari's 'BIGGEST PROBLEM'

Charles Leclerc

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Schumacher reveals floundering Ferrari's 'BIGGEST PROBLEM'

Drivers criticised after Scuderia endured a disappointing Miami Grand Prix

Andrew McLean

Tuesday 9 May 2023 16:57

Ralf Schumacher has described Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz as the biggest problems at Ferrari after their disappointing outing at the Miami Grand Prix.

The Scuderia have endured an underwhelming start to the season with the SF-23 arguably only the fourth-fastest car on the grid in race trim.

There had been promising signs at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Leclerc took pole position for both the sprint and Grand Prix, finishing third on Sunday.

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However, the team went backwards in Miami. Leclerc in particular suffered a horrible weekend, crashing out in both practice and qualifying and eventually finishing seventh in the Grand Prix.

Sainz finished fifth after failing to find any pace on the hard tyre and picked up a five-second penalty for speeding in the pitlane.

Now, Schumacher has suggested that the drivers are the biggest reason for the team's problems so far this season as he gave his assessment on Miami.

Schumacher: Leclerc and Sainz are not consistent enough

Schumacher was keen to praise new team boss Fred Vasseur for the changes he has made since he came in, putting the blame firmly on the drivers.

In his column for Sky Germany, he wrote: "Ferrari has given me a very decent impression since Fred Vasseur took office. A lot has happened there."

However, he was strong in his criticism of the drivers, writing: "I see the biggest problem with the drivers. For me, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are not consistent enough. Leclerc himself has said that, against the advice of his engineers, he mistuned the car.

"With his mistakes, he shows that he either doesn't have the maturity or maybe at the end of the day he's not consistently good to drive a world championship for Ferrari.

Charles Leclerc crashed twice over the Miami weekend

"Sainz was eight tenths away from Leclerc on a weekend, in Miami he was at his level, braked and drove into the pit lane too quickly.

"To be honest, the Ferrari team is currently doing a better job than both drivers."

Leclerc and Sainz will both be out to prove Schumacher wrong when they next return to the track for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in just under two weeks' time.