The Canadian Grand Prix is back after a two-year break. Max Verstappen is leading the Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz closely following him. However, things are not going as planned for Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc.

The Monegasque started from P19 because of a complete engine overhaul, and he has struggled to overtake. During the early part of the race, he was stuck in the DRS train outside of the points but is now back in points. Nevertheless, he cannot extract the pace out of his Ferrari.

Leclerc was behind Esteban Ocon, whose Alpine was holding off the Ferrari. The frustrated Monegasque bemoaned on the radio, saying, “I don’t have the grip, I just don’t. It’s so bad. No traction. No grip at all. I can not overtake. I just can’t.” 

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This race is crucial for Ferrari and Leclerc to secure valuable points and keep their championship aspirations alive. However, Ferrari’s tires seem to be graining quicker than expected, and as a result, Leclerc is struggling to overtake.

Ferrari and Charles Leclerc will hope to capitalize on Sergio Perez’s retirement

Earlier, Sergio Perez retired because of a gearbox issue. So, it presents a golden opportunity for the Prancing Horse to close down the gap to Red Bull. Max Verstappen is in a league of his own and is poised to win the race from here. With Sainz and Leclerc, the Italian team hopes to score the maximum points.

Leclerc’s weekend got off to a poor start. He missed his flight to Montreal early in the week and it was followed by a grid penalty on Friday because of a new control electronics. And it got worse on Saturday as Ferrari announced that the Monegasque’s car will have an entirely new power unit.

As a result, he started from the back of the grid. The Prancing Horse has the long-term picture in mind, but this could prove to be an opportunity for Verstappen to steer clear of Leclerc.

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However, the Canadian GP has been unpredictable. Can Leclerc finish on the podium? We will have to wait and watch.