Ferrari F1 Stumbles in Canada: What Went Wrong with Leclerc and Sainz
The Canadian Grand Prix turned out to be an unexpected nightmare for Ferrari F1 drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who were both eliminated in the second qualifying session (Q2). This came as a jarring surprise, especially after their victory in Monaco, where the team's SF-24 car showed immense promise.
Going into the weekend, Ferrari fans were optimistic. The team's performance in Monaco had set high expectations, and the SF-24 was anticipated to handle the Canadian circuit's bumps and kerbs effectively. Charles Leclerc, in particular, had expressed confidence after the practice sessions, suggesting that Ferrari could be in contention for the pole position. However, as qualifying progressed, it became evident that all was not well under the Prancing Horse's hood.
As Q2 began, Ferrari made the strategic choice to use newer rubber early. Leclerc and Sainz hoped this would give them an edge, allowing them to save fresher tires for the final showdown in Q3. Unfortunately, their strategy backfired. Sainz, unable to escape the elimination zone on his last lap in Q2, was soon followed by Leclerc, who found himself dropped from the contention as well. It was a harsh reality check for a team that had been tipped as favorites.
Leclerc was candid in his assessment post-qualifying. He acknowledged the team's decision to use new tires prematurely and admitted that Ferrari simply lacked pace under dry conditions. 'We put the new tyres at the beginning of Q2, and the last set was for Q3. So, we’ll review everything,' he explained. He went on to express his frustration, saying, 'The biggest issue was that we were so slow. Every time it was dry conditions, we were nowhere this weekend, and we’ve got to look into it.'
One of the most perplexing issues for Ferrari was the car's balance. Leclerc mentioned that the positive balance he experienced during the wet practice sessions did not carry over to the dry qualifying sessions. This lack of consistency baffled both drivers and engineers alike. 'No, we don’t understand it yet, so we’ve got to look into it because since FP3 we’ve been nowhere,' Leclerc said, signaling a need for a deep dive into the team's data and strategy.
Tire temperature has been a recurring problem for Ferrari this season, and it reared its head again in Canada. Leclerc hinted that the inability to generate sufficient grip from the tires played a crucial role in the team's dismal performance. 'It feels bad. It just feels bad,' he confessed. 'There’s no grip at all, so the tyres never feel ready, and this is the biggest problem.'
Carlos Sainz echoed Leclerc's sentiments, attributing the poor showing to a lack of grip and less-than-optimal session execution. 'Just a lack of grip,' Sainz lamented. He also acknowledged that a perfect run on new tires could have given them a shot at Q3, but the tight competition left no room for errors. 'It was too tight at every point during today,' he said. 'As soon as you don’t do things perfectly, you are out in Q2, which is not where Ferrari wants to be.'
The weekend highlighted the thin margins in Formula 1 and the importance of getting every detail right. For Ferrari, it’s back to the drawing board to diagnose what went wrong and how they can rectify these issues ahead of the next race. With the summer break looming, Ferrari fans can only hope that the team uses this time to make the necessary adjustments. Otherwise, their quest for podium finishes will remain an uphill battle.