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Fred Vasseur Fires Charles Leclerc Warning to Rivals Despite Ferrari Superstar’s 10-Place Grid Penalty

Vidit Dhawan
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Fred Vasseur Fires Charles Leclerc Warning to Rivals Despite Ferrari Superstar's 10-Place Grid Penalty

The 2023 season for Charles Leclerc has gone from bad to worse as he will take a 10-second grid penalty at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for undertaking a third control electronics unit.

This massive disappointment comes just two weeks after he suffered a DNF at the Bahrain GP due to reliability concerns. Despite the gigantic setback for Leclerc, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes that the Monegasque race driver will bounce back.

‘Not the end of the season: Vasseur on Charles Leclerc’s grid penalty

Frederic Vasseur admits that while it is disappointing for Charles Leclerc to take a grid penalty at the second race of the season in Saudi Arabia, he believes that it is not the ‘end of the season’ for them.

Speaking of the Monegasque’s reaction to the news, Vasseur told racingnews365.com, “Don’t imagine for a second he would be demotivated.” The 54-year-old said that Leclerc continues to remain committed and that he is pushing the team in the right direction.

Also Read: Helmut Marko Explains Reason Why Charles Leclerc Failed to Threaten Max Verstappen Despite ‘Powerful Ferrari Engine’

Charles Leclerc’s 2023 season is off to an awful start

Ferrari’s problems with reliability seem to have carried over from last season, as Charles Leclerc suffered a DNF in the very first race of the season in Bahrain.

After sitting comfortably in second for most of the race, the 25-year-old scored no points. As a result, Ferrari only managed to fetch 12 points at the Bahrain GP, thanks to Carlos Sainz’s fourth place.

The last result, indeed, is a massive blow to the Prancing Horse, who find themselves fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, behind Red Bull Racing (43), Aston Martin (23), and Mercedes (16). In stark contrast, Ferrari scored a maximum of 44 points at the same venue last year.

Charles Leclerc remains committed to Ferrari despite a poor start to campaign

As per the Italian publication Funoanalisitecnica, Charles Leclerc has committed his future with Ferrari despite the team’s poor start to the F1 2023 season.

The report states that the Monegasque race driver still dreams of winning a championship with the team of his dreams and that he cannot see himself driving for another unit.

Since Leclerc has seemingly committed his future to Ferrari, the onus will now fall on the team to deliver him with a car that is capable of fighting for the championship.

Also Read: Ferrari Informs Carlos Sainz They Are In a Safe Space for 2023; He Is Trying To Hope It’s ‘Not a Lie’

About the author

Vidit Dhawan

Vidit Dhawan

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Vidit Dhawan, a Formula 1 Editor at The SportsRush, is intrinsically connected with everything around the sport — from the engine roar, the cacophony on the grandstands to the action. He fell in love with F1 during the inaugural Indian GP in 2011. After more than a decade of deep engagement with the sport, Vidit insists he will remain a lifelong fan of Fernando Alonso, and sees the future of F1 in Charles Leclerc. A sports fanatic from childhood, he discovered his passion for writing while pursuing a bachelor's degree in international and global studies. Vidit has written over 1,700 articles, ranging from news reports to opinions. He thrives covering live action, and loves to dig into the contrasting personalities in the F1 bandwagon and narrate their journey in life as well as the sport. Vidit also follows tennis and football, enjoys playing as well as coaching chess.

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