Leclerc dismisses 'unnecessary risk' claim
Leclerc dismisses 'unnecessary risk' claim
Charles Leclerc is adamant he did not take "any unnecessary risk" across the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend that sparked his surprise crash.
Leclerc was on course for a guaranteed third place at Imola when he took too much kerb on entry to the Variante Alta chicane, sending him into a spin and a barrier that forced him into a pit stop for a change of tyres and a new front wing.
After dropping to ninth, the Ferrari driver recovered to claim sixth by the chequered flag, albeit losing out on an additional seven points if he had retained his composure which could prove crucial by the end of the season.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner remarked post-race that Leclerc had been consistently quicker than Sergio Perez through Variante Alta and was guilty of being "a bit too greedy" in attempting to hunt down the Mexican.
Asked whether he had been taking too much risk at that part of the track, Leclerc said: "I don't think I was taking particularly more risk but I was quick there and the car felt good there, especially in the race.
"I felt like it was probably one of the corners where Checo was a bit less competitive than me.
"On that lap, I knew there was an opportunity so I tried to push a bit more, and it was too much.
"But apart from that, I don't think I took any unnecessary risk on the other laps during the weekend. Everything was okay on that side."
Leclerc vows to "move on"
After starting the season in stunning fashion with two wins, a second place and all three fastest laps in the opening trio of races, the Imola weekend was a wake-up call for Leclerc.
A 46-point advantage over Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen has been reduced to just 27 after the Dutch driver enjoyed a perfect weekend of pole, sprint win, fastest lap, and leading every lap en route to his 22nd grand prix victory.
As to moving forward and reassessing his approach to similar situations in the future, Leclerc said: "I saw the opportunity that I didn't think was there before.
"It was very clear to me that third place is what was possible but I saw the opportunity and I still tried it. I went a bit quick in turn 14, took too much kerb and spun.
"All points count and I lost seven points against the 15 we would have had for finishing third.
"Every point is important, I will learn from this for the future. It is the way it is, I will analyse the data, what I've done and I will move on."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Newey Red Bull EXIT date revealed as F1 star confirmed at new team - GPFans F1 Recap
- 10 minutes ago
Verstappen takes F1 swipe at Hamilton and rivals with ruthless remark
- 1 hour ago
Marko defends Ricciardo in 'unbelievable' idiot claim
- 2 hours ago
Hamilton hints at sensational Newey arrival at Ferrari
- 3 hours ago
Suspended Red Bull employee 'grilled' as Horner saga given potential END DATE
- Yesterday 19:57
BLOW for former F1 champion as Mercedes preferences revealed
- Yesterday 18:58
Related news
Big name driver 'very angry internally' after controversial battle
Ferrari F1 star concedes key advantage in crucial team-mate battle
Leclerc hints at early F1 RETIREMENT
Leclerc unveils AMAZING tribute for Bianchi tragedy
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860