Suffering a penalty, “the best decision to make” according to Leclerc

Forced to take a 10-place grid penalty in Canada after changing his electronic control unit, Charles Leclerc believes there was no better solution for Ferrari in Montreal.

Published on 18/06/2022 à 15:45

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Suffering an engine penalty, “the best decision to make” according to Leclerc

The Monegasque had no better solution than to change his engine in Canada © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

If Ferrari maintained the mystery concerning the engine of Charles Leclerc until Friday evening, the Team finally came to light after FP2. The Italian team has decided to initially change the Monegasque's electronic control unit, the 3rd this season out of the two authorized.

This new element therefore means that the No. 16 Ferrari will receive a 10-place penalty on the starting grid for the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday. Further penalties are expected as new components are expected to be installed on Leclerc's car, including a new turbo. The power unit that failed in Azerbaijan has been deemed “irreparable” by the Scuderia.

The main person concerned, who has not won a race since Australia at the beginning of April, believes that Ferrari had no other better options for the Quebec weekend.

“Well, obviously, I'm going a little further back. But I think it was the best decision to make, so we'll see how it goes.", said Leclerc about the penalty. “Overtaking was a little more difficult than I thought today. But the pace is there, so hopefully we can get back to where we want to be. »

Comeback mission for Leclerc on Sunday

Charles Leclerc could start at the back of the grid if Ferrari decides to install a new turbo on the F1-75 from the Monegasque. A frustration that the Scuderia driver is trying to alleviate, while the Reds had a similar pace to Red Bull on the first two test sessions. “The race pace is quite close, although we still have to work. It's a little hard to get a clear picture because I was on a different compound the whole time, but overall it didn't seem too bad, so that's good. »

On his teammate's side Carlos Sainz, no penalty but a pace slightly lower than Verstappen during EL1 and EL2. The Spaniard, who will have the task of leading the Scuderia at the start of the Grand Prix against the two Red Bulls, thinks that Ferrari is in the match against the Austrian team. “Max seems to be very fast this weekend, he has been on top from the start, and I think we have the power to catch him, both in one lap pace and in the long runs”Sainz said. “But I think with the strides we normally make on Saturday and then Sunday, we can get up there.”

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