Charles Leclerc suffered a shock Q2 exit in qualifying ahead of the 2023 Canadian GP race, which left fans fuming at Ferrari’s strategists. Initially, Leclerc blamed his team too, but during an interview with Sky Sports after the race, he admitted that he himself could have done much better.
Leclerc’s 2023 season keeps going from bad to worse. More often that not, he is on the receiving end of some bizarre strategy calls that baffles the entire F1 community. From pit-stop mishaps to wrong tire choices, Leclerc has been through a lot. In Canada, wrong tire choices once again spoiled his entire weekend (so far).
When the rain stopped briefly during Q2 in Montreal on Saturday, Leclerc pleaded with his team to let him stop and change into the soft compound tires. Ferrari, however, wanted him to do another lap on intermediate tires, and by the time he was done, rain came pouring down again. A lot of other drivers, however, improved on their lap times using the red-marked soft tires, but Leclerc was unable to do so, as he struggled for grip.
The Monegasque driver was extremely frustrated with how things unfolded. Initially, he blamed his team for his miserable run, but later admitted that it could’ve been his own fault.
Charles Leclerc could have done better to get into Q3
As shared by Tami on Twitter, FIA accredited journalist Giuliano Duchessa revealed that Leclerc partly accepted the blame. During an interview after the session, team principal Frederic Vasseur was speaking to the media about their disastrous Saturday.
That is when Leclerc approached Vasseur, and admitted that ‘adrenaline got the better of him’. He only lashed out at the team out of frustration and feels that he could have done a lot better to improve his position on the starting grid.
Charles interrupted Fred‘s interview 😆
Charles said that the adrenaline got the better of him after the session [frustration]. He said he also could have done better today, so they all can improve as a team.
via @GiulyDuchessa pic.twitter.com/rwX8EHjulU
— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) June 17, 2023
Leclerc’s dismal Q2 run on Saturday put him on 11th in the grid. However, his teammate Carlos Sainz got a three-second time penalty for impending Pierre Gasly. The Spaniard, who initially qualified P8 will now start 11th, putting Leclerc one place above.
Fans don’t accept Leclerc’s admission to making mistakes
Charles Leclerc is one of the most popular drivers in F1, and has a loud fanbase that isn’t afraid of voicing their opinions on social media. Under the Twitter post which revealed Leclerc’s acceptance of the blame, fans showed that they weren’t impressed.
“No Charles, you have a right to be mad and please don’t blame yourself,” a fan wrote.
No Charles, you have a right to be mad and please don’t blame yourself
— Paula🦋16554|RACE WEEK🇨🇦🏁🏎️ (@Paula30092) June 17, 2023
Some people, however, feel that Leclerc only pacified things because of his relationship with Ferrari.
This is a mentality to go forward. They have a special relationship that no one can explain
— CostasTheGreek (@cotsios_h) June 17, 2023
The Monegasque driver has been a lifelong fan of the Maranello-based outfit. Despite multiple rumors linking him to other teams, Leclerc insists that he won’t leave without getting the job done in Italy. For now, however, the 25-year-old will be hoping for a strong performance on Sunday, so that he can leave Canada with a decent points haul.
