Charles Leclerc’s unexpected exit from the British Grand Prix qualifying at Silverstone has sparked conversations, especially as Haas outperformed Ferrari. Starting on P11, Leclerc candidly shared that the team’s strategy to experiment with setup changes might have backfired in the short term, though he hopes it will pay off in future races.
After a victorious moment in Monaco, Ferrari seems to have hit a rough patch. Leclerc, alongside teammate Carlos Sainz who managed to qualify seventh, found themselves trailing behind Nico Hulkenberg of Haas. According to Leclerc, the team is in a phase of recalibration, taking a step back with the hope of moving two steps forward. The changes in the car’s setup, though experimental, were deemed necessary to tackle the performance issues.
Leclerc openly expressed his struggles, attributing the day’s challenges to their current setup choices. He remarked, ‘Yesterday, we learned a good amount for the team by splitting the cars, that comes also with the fact that you are not really optimizing your weekend and focusing on performance only.’ Despite their dedication, they missed the chance to advance to Q3 by a mere tenth of a second, leaving Leclerc driving with an untested configuration in dry conditions after practicing in the wet.
The decision to tweak the car’s setup was partly driven by issues arising since their performance peaked in Monaco, including car bouncing. Leclerc chose not to divulge intricate details but acknowledged a loss in performance, adding, ‘That’s also why we are doing all these tests.’ Although the changes did not yield immediate success at Silverstone, they were a calculated move toward regaining competitive performance.
The competition remains fierce with Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull leading the race standings, leaving Ferrari in an unfamiliar position of playing catch-up. Leclerc reflects on the necessity to strike the right balance and recover lost performance. He hopes for unpredictable weather to potentially shake up the race dynamics, admitting that a normal race with consistent strategies across teams would be unfavourable for them.
Charles Leclerc remains optimistic despite the setbacks faced at Silverstone. While Ferrari is currently enduring a period of adjustment, the team believes that the sacrifices made in performance now are investments for future success. The upcoming decisions and developments will be crucial as they aim to regain their competitive edge.
