Leclerc slates Ferrari after catalogue of errors
Leclerc slates Ferrari after catalogue of errors
Charles Leclerc has insisted Ferrari cannot afford to make the mistakes that cost him victory at the Monaco Grand Prix when fighting for the F1 title and conceded his fourth-place finish "hurts".
The home favourite had been in control of the race in the early stages after a delayed start due to rain, with his performance on extreme wets better than team-mate Carlos Sainz and the Red Bull pairing of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen.
But whilst Sainz was granted his wish of waiting for a switchover point between wets and slicks, Leclerc was pitted for a set of intermediate tyres, falling behind the Spaniard.
The situation worsened for Leclerc when told to stop for slicks behind Sainz, with the double-stack costing him a podium position, leading to Sergio Perez going on to win and championship rival Max Verstappen extending his lead at the top with third.
Ferrari, however, has protested both Red Bull drivers for failing to stay to the right of the line at pit exit. If found guilty, time penalties could follow and would lead to a Sainz/Leclerc one-two.
Asked if he felt let down by Ferrari and its strategy calls, Leclerc told Sky Sports F1: "Let down is not the word. Sometimes mistakes can happen but there has been too many mistakes overall.
"In these conditions, you rely a little bit on what the team can see because you don't see what the other drivers are doing with intermediates, with dry tyres.
"I have been asked questions whether we wanted to go from extreme wets to the slicks and I said yes, but that it would be later on in the race, but I don't understand what made us change our minds and go onto the intermediates.
"We got undercut, then I stopped behind Carlos... there has been a lot of mistakes and we cannot afford to do that."
It is the first time Leclerc has finished his home race but with the result not what it could have been, the Monégasque added: "It is hard, as it has been the other years here.
"I am getting used to getting back home disappointed but we cannot do that, especially in the moment we are in now.
"We are extremely strong, our pace is strong and we need to take these opportunities. We cannot lose so many points like this. It is not even from first to second, it is first to fourth because after the first mistake, we have done another one.
"I love my team and I am sure we will come back stronger. It hurts a lot."
Leclerc explains emotional radio outburst
When Leclerc followed Sainz into the pits and saw his race slipping away from him, he let out his emotion over team radio before later shaking his head in the Ferrari garage during the red-flag delay caused by Mick Schumacher's hefty crash at the swimming pool complex.
Asked if he was frustrated by indecision, Leclerc explained: "I think the first one was a very clear decision - and a very wrong one - and from that moment onwards the mess started.
"I don't know if it is panic, I obviously don't hear all the background on the radio they had in the team. This is not up to me to judge.
"Obviously, the message I had was not clear, the last one wasn't clear because I was told to come in, then stay out.
"But I was already in the pit lane and that is where I basically let it all out on the radio and screamed because I just couldn't do anything and I knew I was gone."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Haas announce Hulkenberg EXIT as F1 star's new team confirmed
- Today 11:27
F1 champion claims Drive to Survive success was 'very lucky'
- 2 hours ago
F1 franchise welcomes return of INCREDIBLE feature
- 3 hours ago
F1 News Today: Red Bull star set to QUIT team as F1 driver role CONFIRMED for 2025
- Today 12:38
F1 team set to axe BOTH star drivers
- Today 12:05
Red Bull to lose F1 MVP as true cost of Horner saga hits
- Today 09:57
Related news
F2/F3 Power Rankings - Verstappen Monaco display BEATEN by rising star
FIVE thing we learned from Monaco - as Mercedes find out their chances of 2023 wins
F1 MUST make these changes to SAVE Monaco or say goodbye to the 'crown jewel'
Marko makes ‘INCREDIBLE’ claim over Verstappen barrier contact during Monaco GP
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