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“It’s Leclerc’s Fault”: Error-Prone Charles Gets Brutally Criticized for His Role in Ferrari’s Downfall

Published 06/28/2023, 6:30 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The last time Ferrari won a World Championship was in 2007, with Kimi Raikkonen. Since then, it has all gone downhill for the Italian team. All drivers that have joined the team have done so because of their rich past and Championship winning cars. But most have been disappointed with the team’s doings in the recent past. Talking about this season in particular, a Former German racer is holding Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz accountable for the team’s failures.

The 2023 season for Ferrari has been in stark contrast to their good performances last season. However, the Canadian GP was a silver lining for them as the drivers finished P4 and P5, owing to an excellent strategy and race pace. But there has been considerable resistance between the drivers and the team. And the radio messages between the drivers and their race engineers have not been pleasant on several occasions. Commenting on the same, Ralf Schumacher has now come forward to admonish Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz for their errors on the racetrack.

via Reuters

As per Formula1news.co.uk, talking to Sky Deutschland, Schumacher said, “As a driver, I made the decision about when to come in for tires. Only the driver can really see how wet or dry it is. So it’s [Charles] Leclerc’s fault, especially as both the Ferrari drivers are making too many mistakes.”

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The 6-time Grand Prix winner also condemned the drivers’ tone in radio messages. He said, “I also don’t like the way Leclerc and (Carlos) Sainz are often yelling on the radio. It gives the impression that the drivers and the engineers are at odds. Ferrari needs to change that.”

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It is not just the radio messages that sound full of displeasure. Charles’ comments after the Canadian GP were also full of criticisms for the team.

Charles Leclerc Unsure of Ferrari’s Progress Despite a Good Canadian GP

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The Montreal track was cool and ensured less tire degradation for the cars. Because of that, Ferrari was able to show their true race pace and secure good points. Despite a good showing, the Monegasque echoed his teammate, Sainz, when he said that the performance was a one-off, and only because of the nature of the track.

via Reuters

In an interview with motorsport.com, Leclerc said, “I think we did a great race management today all in all: tire management, strategy. It felt good. But again, this track is very particular, so I will wait before Austria to hopefully confirm what we felt this weekend.” Though the statements don’t sound too confident, Austria should bring back some good memories for him.

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With the Austrian GP this weekend, Charles Leclerc should be a buoyant man. It was he who won at the Red Bull Ring in 2022. Although the car isn’t the same, can he make it 2 years in a row winning in Spielberg?

WATCH THIS STORY | Charles Leclerc’s Interaction With a Young Karter Breaks the Internet As Fans Left Swooning Over Wholesome Moment

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Written by:

Yash Kotak

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Yash is a F1 writer at EssentiallySports. With a strong passion for communicating through written word and a keen interest in the world of motorsports, he thoroughly enjoys being a fan of F1 and covering it for other fans. Ever since he watched the 'INSIDE TRACKS' episode covering the 2018 German Grand Prix, he has fallen in love with the intriguingly complex world of F1.
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Edited by:

Aishwary Gaonkar