Formula 1 pundit Ralf Schumacher has criticized Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc for his role in the team’s strategic debacle during qualifying for the Canadian GP.
Speaking to Sky Germany, Schumacher claimed that Leclerc must take some of the blame for what happened in qualifying when his request to switch to slick tires immediately was rejected by the team.
Charles Leclerc was told by Ferrari that he would first have to drive on the intermediate tire for a while before switching to the slicks. Leclerc followed the instructions which ended up costing him as he was eliminated in the second quarter. Alex Albon, the first driver to take to the track with slick tires, was able to make Q3.
When Ralf Schumacher spoke about the incident, he said that Charles Leclerc should also be held responsible for the mistake. He said:
“Nothing like that would have happened to me as a driver. As a driver, I made the decision as to when to board. I think it’s the responsibility of the man behind the wheel. Only I can see how wet or dry it is out there. It’s Leclerc’s fault, especially as both Ferrari drivers make too many mistakes.”
Ralf Schumacher was also annoyed by the excited tone that both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz used at times when talking over the team radio. He said:
“I also don’t like the radio communication at Ferrari as Sainz and Leclerc yell quite a lot. It gives the impression that drivers and engineers are at odds with each other. Ferrari should change that.”
Fred Vasseur responds to Charles Leclerc’s criticism after qualifying
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur was asked about Charles Leclerc’s comments after qualifying, in which the young driver expressed his dissatisfaction with the way practice went. Speaking about this, Vasseur told Sky Sports:
“They weren’t allegations. He just had a different perception of the situation than the car. It’s always good to get feedback from the drivers, but we have to make a decision at the command post because we have the information. We had very good pace in practice and it made sense to make that decision.”
Leclerc has only secured one pole position and one podium this season and has been unlucky in a couple of races. He is hoping for more smooth weekends at the upcoming races.
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