Ferrari can’t seem to catch a break. When the season started, the hopes and dreams of the tifosi were at an all time high. The team believed that they could finally lay their F1 curse to rest with a competitive SF-23. Be that as it may, come Bahrain 2023, the Scuderia were pulled back down to reality. Their pace compared to Red Bull was a catastrophe, and the reliability issues of the past were still there to haunt them. And if all of that wasn’t enough, there seems to be another twist in the tragic tale of Ferrari, and their star driver, Charles Leclerc is the protagonist.

Reports emerged last week that the 25-year-old Monegasque was fuming at his fate during the race. On lap 40, he was forced to retire as his Ferrari engine called it quits mid-race. Enough was enough for Leclerc as he reportedly took matters into his own hands. He allegedly went over Frederic Vasseur‘s head to get a meeting with Ferrari Chairman John Elkann. His reaction, though seemingly logical, threatened dislodge the balance within the team. And in light of these concerns, Leclerc has now publicly given his take on the entire matter.

The Athletic quoted him as saying, “This is absolutely untrue. Again, there have been loads of rumors around the team, which, for once, 90 percent of them were completely unfounded.” Leclerc knows the cost of discord and rumors from last year. And he was quick to dismiss all the gossip.

“I don’t know from where it is coming from, and to be honest, I don’t want to spend even any energy on trying to find from where it’s coming from. We just need to be on it and focused on ourselves.”

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Even though Bahrain was just race one, the ensued cursed seem to haunt Leclerc’s entire season.

How Bahrain 2023 may have doomed Charles Leclerc and his 2023 season

Ferrari will hope to get its reliability in check as the season progresses. That being said, Leclerc’s Bahrain retirement may have graver consequences than usual. According to PlanetF1.com, “Each driver is permitted two Control Electronics [over the course of a season].” 

Leclerc is facing a 10-place grid drop for the Saudi Arabian GP per Sky Sports for fitting a 3rd Control Electronics unit. This is just one race into the season. Leclerc faces a perilous 22 races ahead as many more grid penalties can hamper his chances of fighting for a championship this year if his CE unit decides to misbehave again.

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Can Charles Leclerc win the championship this season? Or has his Bahrain DNF jinxed his 2023 hopes once and for all?