Another qualifying session finished well behind Mercedes for Charles Leclerc, who, after the end of the session, let out his frustration over the team radio.
At the Japanese Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc finished qualifying in fourth position, behind the two Mercedes cars and also Oscar Piastri. The Monegasque driver’s frustration came out over the team radio, where he vented completely about the difficulties Ferrari is facing in Q3.
During the FIA press conference on media day, the #16 had already shared his thoughts on how qualifying is becoming increasingly difficult due to the issues they face in the final Q3 attempt:
“I think, just whatever solution helps us to push at the maximum those cars, because that’s what I loved, that’s what I love about this sport”
“What I love about this sport is when you get to Q3 and you have the maximum pressure on you to deliver at your best at that moment and that you try and do a lap that you haven’t done before. At the moment this is not possible because every time you do something that you haven’t done before then the car is just trying to adapt to it and it makes you lose more than what you gain.”
Read also: Lewis Hamilton admits defeat with Mercedes after qualifying: “We’re still far from the front—when it comes to fighting for the podium…”
These words take on even greater significance after Q3 in Suzuka. In fact, the SF-26 of Charles Leclerc had set the best time in the first sector during his final attempt, but then, due to a correction at Turn 11, he lost all the advantage he had built over the W17 of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
At the moment of the mistake, the energy management algorithm readjusted itself to recharge the battery, causing him to lose a huge amount of time in the final sector. The result? A ruined lap and a gap of six tenths to Antonelli
When Bryan Bozzi informed him of the result, the Ferrari driver couldn’t hold back his anger and, while hitting the steering wheel, said:“I honestly cannot stand these rules in qualifying, It’s a fucking joke!
I go faster in corners, I go on the throttle earlier, for fuck’s sake, I lose everything in the straight!“
. These words are yet another demonstration of how Charles Leclerc is growing frustrated with the fact that one of his greatest strengths has now become a weakness over the course of a race weekend.
Main photo: Ferrari.com
