2023 Canadian Grand Prix: ‘We’re making our lives a lot more difficult’ – Charles Leclerc calls on Ferrari to ‘improve now’ after Montreal’s Q2 crash

A furious Charles Leclerc implored Ferrari to “get better now” after Monaco failed to reach Q3 for the second race in a row – with Leclerc getting his P11 on the grid at Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Leclerc – who qualified P19 for the Spanish Grand Prix last time – has been cruising around Montreal’s Gilles Villeneuve circuit in mixed conditions in the Q2 part of qualifying. But with the track half wet, half dry, Leclerc radioed Ferrari to request a move to slicks – a call also made by Williams driver Alex Albon.

READ MORE: Verstappen heads to pole at Canadian GP while Hulkenberg snatches P2 surprise in wet and wild qualifying session

However, Leclerc’s request was not immediately heeded – and while Albon was able to top the segment and advance into the third quarter, Leclerc stayed put to put a stop on the mids, before finding himself pushed into the relegation zone after changing to slick tires late on. on me.

“Yeah, the tires weren’t ready. Come on!” Leclerc climbed into his radio after taking a P11 on the grid – with Monegasque mood not getting any better when he faced the media.

“I am very disappointed with the qualifiers,” said Leclerc. “not everything [about the tyres] Obviously, some others did exactly the same thing and still got through the third quarter [on intermediate tyres]. But we make our lives more difficult.

“I am very frustrated now and honestly, we need to improve and take a step forward or we will always be disappointed so, we need to improve now.

“We didn’t follow my instincts at that moment and I think that puts us in a very difficult position after that and we paid a heavy price.” “So I am very disappointed and very disappointed today, and tomorrow I will try to put in the best possible race for the comeback.”

As it happens: Catch up on all the action from qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix

Asked what he would say to Ferrari at a later debrief, Leclerc replied: “What I tell the team will remain between me and the team but there are no secrets.

“Obviously I will talk to the team about getting better, because it’s not the first time we’ve been on the wrong side in these circumstances.”

Meanwhile, Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz could only run the P8 on the grid in the rebuilt SF23 – after Crash in free practice 3 – With the Spaniard also called up to see the post-qualifying hosts accused of fouling Pierre Gasly in the Alps in the first quarter.