Charles Leclerc Opens Up: Why Ferrari's Double DNF in Canada Isn't a Catastrophe
Charles Leclerc has urged Ferrari to keep calm despite suffering a double retirement at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix. The team faced an unexpected engine glitch that significantly hindered their performance. Leclerc had a courageous start from 11th place, overtaking Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda and moving into the points zone. However, an engine issue was slowly evident, reducing his speed on straights.
The Monegasque driver revealed over team radio that the problem was costing him around half a second on straights, which allowed Alex Albon to easily pass him once the DRS was activated. Ferrari used a mid-race Safety Car to bring Leclerc into the pits in hopes of resetting the SF-24 car and took a chance with slicks due to the improving track conditions. Unfortunately, a small rain shower nullified this gamble, forcing Leclerc back to Intermediate tires before he was finally ordered to retire from the race.
Leclerc sought to deflect criticism from Ferrari, highlighting that the engine issue was the primary reason for their predicament. “Honestly, there's not much to say apart from the engine issue cost us everything. At one point, we decided to try slicks, even knowing the risks, because with the engine issues, we would have been out of the points anyway,” he explained.
Ferrari entered the Canadian Grand Prix riding high after a stellar performance in Monaco that had narrowed the championship gap to Red Bull to just 24 points. Despite their disastrous weekend in Montreal, Leclerc underscored that Ferrari must not make hasty decisions. “We shouldn't overreact after this one, just as we didn't overreact after winning in Monaco,” he continued. “But this one hurts because it’s a significant points loss for the team with both cars failing to finish. We need to scrutinize the engine issue, as it will be crucial for the rest of the season.”
Experiencing highs and lows is part of the sport, and Leclerc believes that this mindset should guide Ferrari's reaction to the weekend. “I think we shouldn’t overreact with the pace of the car. You've got good weekends and bad weekends. Yesterday, missing Q3 by three hundredths showed we weren’t entirely comfortable with the car. Today, even with a struggling engine, our cornering wasn't terrible,” he stated.
The SF-24's performance issues extend beyond just the engine. The team struggled to live up to the pre-weekend expectations of being the favorites. Ferrari's challenge now lies in diagnosing and rectifying the issues to ensure better results in the upcoming races.
Ultimately, this tumultuous weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve means more homework for the Maranello squad. Leclerc's composure amid adversity reflects a matured perspective. “As painful as it is, both the team and I need to analyze what went wrong, regroup, and forge ahead. We showed strength in corners and have potential; it's about tapping into that and addressing issues head-on,” he concluded.