A furious Charles Leclerc implored Ferrari to „improve now” after Monaco failed to reach Q3 for the second consecutive race, claiming Leclerc was P11 on the grid at Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Leclerc – who qualified P19 for the Spanish Grand Prix last time out – was in mixed conditions in Q2 of qualifying around Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. But with the track half wet and half dry, Leclerc asked Ferrari to move to slicker tires over the radio – a call also made by the likes of Williams driver Alex Alban.
However, Leclerc’s pleas were not immediately heeded – and Alban managed to top the category and advance to Q3, before Leclerc found himself relegated to the drop zone after a late change to slick tyres, out to set a lap in the intermediates. On that day.
“Yes, the tires are not ready. Come on!” Leclerc took the P11 to the grid on his radio – and the Monegasque’s mood didn’t improve as he faced the media.
„I’m very disappointed to qualify,” Leclerc said. “Not everything [about the tyres] More went into Q3 as a few others did the same [on intermediate tyres]. But we are making our lives very difficult.
’We’re making our lives very difficult,’ laments Leclerc after Q2 exits in Canada
„I’m very frustrated now, honestly, we have to improve and take a step forward otherwise we’ll always be disappointed, yes – we have to improve now.
„We didn’t follow my instincts at the time and I think that put us in a very difficult situation afterwards and we paid a heavy price,” he added. „So I’m very frustrated and very disappointed today and tomorrow I’ll try to make a better race to come back.”
It Happened: Follow all the action from qualifying to the Canadian Grand Prix
Meanwhile, asked what he would say to Ferrari when they explain later, Leclerc replied: „What I say to the team will be between the team and me, but there is no secret.
„I’ll obviously talk to the team to improve because it’s not the first time we’ve been on the wrong side of those conditions.”
Meanwhile, Leclerc’s team mate Carlos Sainz could only manage P8 on the grid in his rebuilt SF23. Dysfunction in free practice 3 – The Spaniard was called to watch the post-qualifying stewards after he was accused of impeding Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in Q1.