Charles Leclerc has bemoaned one thing Ferrari did in qualifying for the Monaco GP.
The glitz and glamour of the pinnacle of motorsport descended on the Principality for round eight of the 2024 season. Practice suggested that it would be a great weekend for Leclerc at his home race, too, as the Ferrari driver topped the timesheets in second and third practice.
Leclerc had led the way as the Formula 1 field conducted their qualifying simulations for the Monaco GP. He posted a 1:11.278 to head Lewis Hamilton in FP2 and continued to sit at the top with a 1:11.369 come FP3. Max Verstappen was second in FP3 but with a 0.197s deficit.
Charles Leclerc fumes at Ferrari’s strategy in qualifying for the Monaco GP
Qualifying did not start flawlessly for Leclerc, however, as the 26-year-old took issue with his Ferrari crew. The home hero could not hide his angst with how the Scuderia sought to run in Q1. But he still did enough to pass through to Q2 with the fifth-fastest time with a 1:11.584.
Mercedes ace George Russell headed the early timesheet in Q1 with a 1:11.492 as the field fought for grip. The Circuit de Monte Carlo did not offer the grip that the Formula 1 drivers expected in Q1. Yet Ferrari’s move to run Leclerc out of sync irked the five-time race-winner.
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Leclerc fumed at Ferrari deciding to run off-piece in Q1 as it ensured he was fighting through traffic whilst trying to set a flying lap. He hit the pit lane to remove a piece of debris from his front wing mid-session running in 12th place. But his second bite of the cherry put him clear.
“This is the worst position,” Leclerc bemoaned over Ferrari’s team radio during Q1 at the F1 Monaco GP. “We are out of phase with everybody!”
Ferrari risked worsening Charles Leclerc’s angst
Leclerc picked up a piece of debris from an advertising hoarding in Q1 that helped to restrict his early pace. But, despite not changing his tyres, the Monegasque moved to the top of the order after pitting. His time was, ultimately, enough to secure P5 and a place in Q2, as well.
Ferrari took a bit of a gamble by not changing Leclerc’s tyres while removing the debris from his front wing. Few drivers elected to run the entirety of Q1 on the same set of Pirelli tyres. Had their gamble backfired, Leclerc’s angst at Ferrari’s strategy would have only worsened.
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