Charles Leclerc faced a tough start at the Canadian Grand Prix, admitting to a major mistake in qualifying.
- A crash during practice limited his track time and affected his performance.
- Issues in Q3 led to a disappointing eighth-place start for the race.
- Leclerc admitted disturbances from another car disrupted his lap.
- Despite setbacks, Leclerc remains hopeful for the race.
Charles Leclerc’s weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix began with a crash that ended his practice session early. On just his third lap, Leclerc locked up at Turn 3, attempting to graze the grass to stay on track. Unfortunately, he collided with the wall, damaging the safety cell of his car and sidelining him for FP2. Yet, he retained a sense of comfort from those initial laps, carrying it into FP3 and qualifying.
During qualifying, Leclerc’s ambitions for a pole position were thwarted in Q3. He encountered the Racing Bulls machine of Isack Hadjar at Turn 6, causing a disruption in the air and affecting his car’s stability. Although he managed to avoid another crash, this interference dashed his hopes of a better position, leaving him starting eighth in the race.
Leclerc expressed his frustration candidly during a chat with F1TV. “The pace was there,” he remarked, acknowledging his car’s potential for pole. However, he admitted, “I f***ed it up completely.” Reflecting on his qualifying decision, he pondered if going out early was the right choice, as the presence of Hadjar affected his grip on track.
In his media interactions, Leclerc disclosed that despite his crash in FP1, the primary issue during qualifying was the ‘dirty air’—a common challenge on tracks with close walls such as Monaco and Canada. He refrained from blaming Hadjar, noting the situation wasn’t his fault, even though it significantly impacted his performance.
Despite these hurdles, Leclerc sees a silver lining with his car’s speed. Though he’s starting from eighth place, he believes a podium finish is possible, contingent on how quickly he can maneuver past competitors.
Although a challenging start, Leclerc’s determination points to a potentially promising outcome in the race.
