Why Ferrari Are Stalling Leclerc Update After Monaco Qualifying Crash

It was a rather bitter-sweet qualifying session for Ferrari and their hero, Charles Leclerc, who secured his eighth F1 pole position at Monaco on Saturday but not before crashing his car into the wall around the exit of turn 16.

Hence, when F1 red-flagged the session, there initially were cheers at the Ferrari garage. But the celebrations soon subsided, as concerns over his car’s damage crept its way into the team.

Considering the force of impact, it looked like Ferrari might have to opt for a new gearbox, which could see Leclerc drop down the order to P5 on the starting grid.

Amidst such fears, Ferrari revealed some positive news, claiming that initial checks did not show any significant damages to the gearbox.

Furthermore, the Maranello outfit will carry out further checks on Sunday, which is likely to delay their announcement of Leclerc’s fate. And Ferrari have also affirmed that the delay is intentional.

Ferrari reveals statement on Leclerc’s car

Hours after Leclerc’s dramatic crash in Monaco, Ferrari took to social media to provide an update over the Monegasque’s chances of holding onto P1.

“An initial inspection of the gearbox in Charles Leclerc’s car has not revealed any serious damage. Further checks will be carried out tomorrow, to decide if the same gearbox can be used in the race,” the statement read.

It was a pretty heavy crash for Leclerc at Monte Carlo, which looked quite avoidable. However, he, unfortunately, clipped the pointy barrier around the entry of turn 15. And this left Leclerc with broken steering, as he drove his car straight into the barrier.

What’s more, the rear of the car took a rather hefty blow as well. And this left the entire fandom wondering how much damage the gearbox had dealt from this impact. Thankfully for Leclerc, things aren’t looking too concerning as of now.

Why are the Reds delaying their final decision?

Despite completing the checks around Leclerc’s damaged car, Ferrari opted against revealing their decision on changing the gearbox or the chassis. Instead, it looks like the team have chosen to wait until the very last minute before making the highly anticipated announcement.

Why, you might ask?

Well, Auto Motor Und Sport reckons Ferrari are looking to avoid giving Mercedes and Red Bull an advantage. Hence, they are making sure that the news about Leclerc’s fate reaches the rival teams’ ears as late as possible.

But Ferrari’s boss, Mattia Binotto, also clarified that the team will not be running the same gearbox if it shows even minor signs of instability. “Better back five starting positions and arriving than the other way around. Stability has priority,” he said.

Overall, an interesting Sunday awaits the Reds, as both Leclerc and his teammate, Carlos Sainz are in a strong enough position to secure Ferrari’s first double-podium finish in years.

But will they?

Read More: Everything There is to Know About Charles Leclerc’s Family: His Late Father and Racer Brother