Charles Leclerc admits he didn't understand DISASTROUS Ferrari strategy call

Leclerc in Saudi Arabia — Photo: © LAT Images

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc admits he didn't understand DISASTROUS Ferrari strategy call

The Monegasque came away from one of his favourite tracks with just two points

Joe Ellis

Sunday 9 July 2023 22:12

Charles Leclerc was not happy with the strategy given to him by Ferrari as he laboured in the British Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old got away cleanly to sit fourth for the first stint of the race, although he was under constant pressure from George Russell in the Mercedes.

Ferrari then decided to pit Leclerc very early in an attempt to undercut those around him but nobody else jumped with him.

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Russell stayed out for 10 laps longer and then overtook the Monegasque on track when he put new mediums on.

Leclerc pitted again when the safety car emerged to try and give him a fighting chance at the restart but he was only able to gain one place at the expense of his team-mate, Carlos Sainz, as they finished line-a-stern in ninth and 10th.

Charles Leclerc has battled for victory at Silverstone in the past but could only just hang onto points in 2023

Leclerc: I don't know what happened

“We didn’t have much degradation," he said to Sky Sports. "I think just the pace of the car wasn’t really there today.

"We were struggling in the first part of the race. On the first stint, Mercedes and McLaren were really quick.

"George was very fast. I managed to keep him behind, then I don’t know what happened why we went in so early. But this, I don’t have the full picture of it. I don’t want to comment on it too much.

“Then obviously, that puts us a bit on the backfoot because everybody continued on the medium that didn’t have much degradation. I tried to stay more or less at the same lap times as the guys that were still out on the old medium, to then push once they stopped.

"But then, unfortunately, once they stopped during the safety car and they gained all the positions. Not the greatest race today.”