Despite Ferrari’s Failures, Charles Leclerc Given a Major Reality Check on the Mistake That Costs him the F1 Championship

Ferrari arrived at the eagerly anticipated Miami GP with some optimism. However, the upbeat energy seemed to depart the Ferrari camp during the second practice session. In an effort to test the new modifications on the SF-23, the Monegasque pushed the car during the second practice session. Additionally, the 25-year-old crashed once more at the same bend during qualifying. Charles Leclerc who has always been a victim of the crashes like these has received a major reality check from an ex F1 driver.

Leclerc has been a fantastic talent at the highest level of motorsport. However, the only time in his entire career that the Monegasque came close to a championship fight was in 2022. Nevertheless, his unreliability and a few collisions like these have prevented him from winning the championship.

For instance, we could reflect back to the crucial race in France last year, where Leclerc’s championship lead was surrendered to Max Verstappen. Besides, in the Australian Grand Prix earlier this year, he collided with Lance Stroll on the opening lap, sending the Ferrari driver into the gravel, where he eventually crashed out of the race.

After displaying some character on the streets of Baku, Leclerc had the opportunity to once again take the top spot in Miami. However, the Monegasque crashed twice, eliminating any opportunity he had of placing higher in the rankings.

The 25-year-old was overheard lamenting the problems the SF-23 had after the race. Leclerc’s inability to keep the car away from any mishappening has been slammed by Martin Brundle. While giving the Monegasque a reality check, Brundle, according to Speedcafe said, “Ferrari are struggling for race pace and a distant fifth and seventh was a poor result for them.”

He added, “Leclerc must stop crashing his car, it’s holding him and the team back. There are always knock-on effects during a race weekend from those incidents, and he needed a new aero underfloor after the qualifying crash which may have contributed to the bouncing and issues he reported in the race.”

While concluding the Briton said, “He is unbelievably fast and committed, and he can afford to trade a fraction of that to build a better race weekend, and so a better season. He must lead the team to higher things and not keep the repair shop so busy.”

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Owing to a number of blunders that plagued Ferrari last year, including driver errors, strategic errors, and reliability problems, the team lost the championship bout. While this year, when both drivers are found moaning about the car, a legendary F1 driver’s brother has criticized both pilots and revealed what according to him is the true cause of Ferrari’s disappointment this season.

What is the true reason for Charles Leclerc and Co.’s struggles this season?

This year, the Maranello-based team has excelled in one lap pace. In some cases, the squad is even able to match the mighty Red Bull’s lightning-fast speed. However, the team has noticed a problem with their SF-23 rubber shredding since the start of this season.

Therefore, both team pilots were caught complaining about the Ferrari vehicle following another disappointing race in Miami. Ralf Schumacher, a former driver, and Michael Schumacher’s brother, has not liked this. The German driver thinks the Scuderia is doing a better job and that the biggest issue with the organization is its drivers.

While conversing with Germany Sports1. he said, “The car isn’t great, but it’s better than they say,” Later, he elaborated on what, in his opinion, was the cause of Ferrari’s woes. He said, “One driver [Sainz] mis-brakes at the pit entrance, while the other [Leclerc] hardly finishes a fast lap without crashing. Frank Williams would have clipped me around the ears. The trend just isn’t good.”

While concluding Schumacher quoted, “A lot has happened already since he took office. I see the biggest problem with the drivers. For me, they’re just not consistent enough.”

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Regardless of its chances of winning the championship having been dashed this year, do you think Ferrari can perform well and fight for the P2 position this season?