F1 News
Vasseur stands up for Leclerc: 'I'd be worried if he acted any different'
After winning the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time in his career, Charles Leclerc's weekend was just as bitter as sweet it was for him a couple of weeks earlier. Getting eliminated in Q2 plus a DNF it was for the Monegasque driver in Montreal. Team principal Frederic Vasseur however defended his driver.
After a challenging weekend for Ferrari, team principal Frederic Vasseur wanted to remain calm and stood up for his driver Charles Leclerc. The pair are known to have a good relationship, with the driver naming Vasseur multiple times as one of the reason why Ferrari closing the gap to Red Bull Racing. "I can perfectly understand that the motivation is difficult to find in this kind of situation," Vasseur explained to GPblog and others in Montreal.
After a difficult day in qualifying and getting knocked out in Q2 on Saturday, Leclerc's engine was not functioning properly, as he had to compete with less power. "[It was frustrating] for sure for Charles, when you are into the car, you are fighting in a group. You see that you are missing 10 or 15 kph. You have no chance to overtake. Your engineer is telling you that we are losing something like 80 horsepower," Vasseur underlined the reason behind Leclerc's mood.
Vasseur says 'he would be worried' if Leclerc acted otherwise
Leclerc eventually retired on Lap 43, after he pitted earlier to restart his engine and he was also given hard tyres when the track was still not dry enough. The Frenchman concluded with saying that this reaction is the least to expect from anyone on the grid. "If he was not frustrated in these conditions, I would be worried."