Ferrari took "no gamble" with Charles Leclerc gearbox - Mattia Binotto

Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari — Photo: © LAT Images

Monaco Grand Prix

Ferrari took "no gamble" with Leclerc gearbox - Binotto

Leclerc suffered a mechanical failure to rule him out of his home race

Ewan Gale

Sunday 23 May 2021 17:55

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is adamant the team did not gamble with Charles Leclerc's gearbox after the polesitter was forced to withdraw from the Monaco Grand Prix.

Leclerc reported an issue on his first reconnaissance lap to the grid ahead of the race, with the home favourite forced out with a suspected driveshaft issue.

Ferrari had said no risks would be taken with the gearbox after Leclerc's session-ending crash in qualifying, with Binotto confirming there was no investigation overnight on the area of the car that failed.

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"We need to fully understand what happened," Binotto told Sky Sports F1. "The failure is on the driveshaft into the hub on the left-hand side.

"So it is not a gearbox problem. The gearbox was inspected and rebuilt and I think it was okay for the race.

"It was on the opposite side to the accident. It may be completely unrelated to the accident but something we need to carefully understand and analyse. We have no answers right now.

"There was no gamble on the gearbox. We are fully confident that the gearbox would have been okay for the race.

"What has happened needs an explanation we do not have right now. We will need to carefully analyse. This was an area that was not checked because it was not damaged."

Sainz spares Ferrari's blushes

Despite Leclerc's heartbreak, team-mate Carlos Sainz took his first podium as a Ferrari driver with a comfortable second.

Binotto praised the team spirit shown by the Monégasque to celebrate Sainz's achievement at the podium ceremony.

"I think there is a lot of positives from the weekend," he added. "The overall performance of the car since Thursday, the first podium for Carlos with us.

"To see Charles under the podium celebrating with both Carlos and the team, showing the right team spirit, showing we are united, the fact we are together to try to build a project and the right foundations for the future.

"Certainly, he is disappointed because he knows he could have done a good race and we had at least the pace to battle and to fight with Max.

"But that’s life and he reacted really very well to be celebrating and staying close and united with the team."