After bringing a host of upgrades to the race and high hopes, Ferrari ultimately “put a very strong race in the bin”, according to Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc was running strong in third place until a final-lap spin saw him hit the wall and pick up damage, which meant he dropped to a sixth-place finish on the road.
Things went from bad to worse as the damage caused Leclerc to skip the remaining right-hand chicanes, incurring a 20-second post-race penalty, dropping him down to eighth.
Team-mate Lewis Hamilton had a lonely race in seventh place after damage on lap one, but ultimately finished in sixth due to Leclerc’s penalty.
Speaking to the media after the race, both drivers and team boss Fred Vasseur called the race “challenging” and “disappointing”.
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Leclerc’s reaction
“Very disappointed with my mistake,” he told Sky Sports following the race.
Speaking on another mistake in the race, he added: “It shouldn’t happen. I pushed very hard on the second to last lap, I thought it was a good idea to kind of let Oscar go for me to get the overtake.
“I knew it was going to be very difficult to stay in front otherwise. But it was a very poor decision, and in the space of four corners I put a very strong race in the bin, so I’m very frustrated about that.”
When talking to Motorsport.com about the spin and wall tap, Leclerc admitted, “It’s all on me and it’s not acceptable.”
A single mistake turned promise into frustration for Ferrari.
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