Charles Leclerc makes astonishing Ferrari claim after…read more
Charles Leclerc made a striking statement about Ferrari’s potential in the Chinese Grand Prix, claiming that the team could have fought McLaren for victory if not for a damaged front wing before his eventual disqualification. Leclerc lost the left-front endplate of his SF-25 after a first-lap incident with teammate Lewis Hamilton in Shanghai. Despite this damage, Leclerc chose not to pit for a new nose, opting to continue with the compromised car throughout the race. Despite the setback, Leclerc showed strong pace and was competitive, even having moments where Hamilton allowed him to pass.
Leclerc finished the race in fifth position, but Ferrari’s efforts to replace the broken front wing before the post-race checks led to the car being found underweight. As a result, both Leclerc and Hamilton were disqualified due to their cars’ skid blocks being below the legal minimum thickness. This marked Ferrari’s first-ever double disqualification in its 75-year history.
Before the disqualification, Leclerc spoke about his race and the potential of the car, explaining that he felt Ferrari had more to offer, especially with a fully functional machine. He said, “I made a step with the car, and there was a lot of potential, but I was destroying the fronts and had 30 points less downforce, which is a huge amount.” Leclerc emphasized that, despite his difficulties during the weekend and a less-than-ideal qualifying, he believed Ferrari had the pace to challenge the top teams, particularly McLaren. He referenced Hamilton’s performance in the sprint race as evidence of Ferrari’s potential, saying he was excited for the race itself, although the damage to his car hindered his ability to fully exploit it.
Leclerc also addressed the incident with Hamilton that resulted in the damage. He described it as “just a racing incident” and explained the situation from his perspective. He said he had positioned himself on the inside, aiming for Turn 3, and didn’t intend to overtake Hamilton at that moment. He noticed Hamilton defending from the outside, but didn’t expect him to cut back across the track. Leclerc admitted that the sudden move caught him off guard, leaving him with little room to avoid contact. He acknowledged that Hamilton, in turn, hadn’t seen him either, making the incident unfortunate but unavoidable.
In conclusion, Leclerc’s comments suggest that Ferrari could have been in a stronger position in the race had the front wing damage not compromised his performance. He expressed frustration that the team couldn’t fully realize the potential of the car due to the circumstances.
