It seems like setbacks are following Ferrari for a long time now as the Italian outfit has lost points from promising positions quite often. And as the racing resumes this week at the Dutch Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc already seems to have faced a setback. According to Will Buxton, the Monegasque has a health problem that prevented him from taking a plane to the Netherlands. As a result, the 25-year-old took an 890-mile road trip to make it to the Dutch GP.
While Leclerc’s Dutch GP weekend does not seem to have begun on the best of notes, he did had a good summer break. The Ferrari driver went to Corsica, Sardinia, and back home to Monaco.
Doing our best to check in with the boys after the summer break 😅 #DutchGP 🇳🇱 #F1 pic.twitter.com/NlJdFcQ0bR
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) August 24, 2023
He stated that it was good for him to have some time at home to “recharge the batteries“. Now, after a month-long break at home, Leclerc said that he will try his best to have a strong weekend at Zandvoort.
Buxton provides important update on Leclerc’s health
While speaking during the weekend warm-up show ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, Will Buxton provided an important update about Charles Leclerc’s health. The British presenter stated, “Charles Leclerc had an ear infection as well. So, he couldn’t fly here. He’s had to drive here“.
“charles leclerc had an ear infection, so he couldn’t fly here, he’s had to drive here. i asked if it’s gonna affect his balance and he said he’ll be good to drive”pic.twitter.com/hQtUQVII1O
— clara (@leclercsletters) August 24, 2023
Buxton then noted that Leclerc is fine now and that he will be able to compete in the Dutch GP. However, what is interesting about the same is the time it takes for a road trip from Monaco to Zandvoort. A fan has pointed out that this 890-mile (1,431 km) road trip takes almost 15 hours.
15 HOURS??!! almost as long as Arthur’s screen time https://t.co/Wd9iL1tLwe pic.twitter.com/Y8toxtGVFo
— ria (@ferra_ria) August 24, 2023
Now, with Leclerc fit and ready to go, he will hope to put in the best performance he can this weekend. However, he did provide some concerning remarks about Ferrari’s development.
Charles Leclerc does not expect Ferrari to catch Red Bull anytime soon
Ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc explained (as quoted by the independent.co.uk) how he does not expect Ferrari to catch Red Bull until the regulations do not change in 2026. The Monegasque stated that the gap between the two teams is huge and cannot be eliminated in a shorter span of time.
However, he did reveal that Ferrari are attempting to bring some upgrades in the next few races. As things stand in the championship, the 25-year-old is currently fifth with 99 points and is a whopping 215 points behind leader Max Verstappen.
