Charles Leclerc and Ferrari could not have a worse start to the 2023 Sao Paulo GP after the Monegasque driver was forced to retire from the race on the formation lap. Now, team principal Fred Vasseur has come up to emphasize the loss and frustration Leclerc and Ferrari endured on Sunday.
Leclerc was all set to start the race alongside Max Verstappen in P2. However, his race got jeopardized after the SF-23 had an issue with hydraulics. As the Ferrari driver pulled up by the side of the track, it brought ample frustration for the team and the driver himself.
Keeping the chins up, always together as a team 👊 pic.twitter.com/SyHn2HtkPR
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) November 6, 2023
Talking about this, the Ferrari boss said as per F1 Maximal, “The system switched off the hydraulics and the engine. We do not yet know the reason for the error in the system, because the car has not yet been returned. But it was more of an electronic problem.”
Following this, he added, “It’s a missed opportunity because we overtook Mercedes a bit during the weekend. But with Charles on the front row, with three sets of new tires, it could have gone much better,”
Furthermore, the 25-year-old driver’s agonizing feedback was the highlight of the day for the Tifosi when he painfully stated on the radio about being so unlucky. Nevertheless, this has been a serious blow for the team as the Italian team planned everything strategically for the main race.
Reactions from Ferrari after Charles Leclerc’s DNF in Brazil
As Charles Leclerc pulled his SF-23 to the side of the track, his reactions were enough to tell how he felt. Following the conclusion of the race, he took to X to share his thoughts on it.
He wrote that it was disappointing for him to see his race finish even before the lights went out. This has been a hurtful scenario for him as he missed out on a potential podium result.
Disappointed to say the least. Lost the power steering and the engine power on the formation lap. It hurts pic.twitter.com/J7kIESy3Do
— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) November 5, 2023
The DNF also caused heavy losses to Ferrari as they could not capitalize on Mercedes’ bad day. George Russell, too, was forced to retire. Hamilton meanwhile finished eight. Had Ferrari had a strong race, it would have helped them immensely in their battle for P2 in the standings.
Nevertheless, Carlos Sainz finished the race in P6 and helped his team reduce the gap. However, they still trail Mercedes by 20 points and they will need to give everything in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi if they wish to finish behind Red Bull.
