Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc registered a DNF, despite leading from the start in France after an unfortunate error
It was all going so well for Charles Leclerc at Paul Ricard, where he led from pole – until disaster struck the Ferrari driver on Lap 18. Coming through the apex of Turn 11, the rear of Leclerc’s car stepped out and the Monegasque driver swiftly became a passenger, and his destination was inevitable: the tire barriers and retirement from the lead of the French Grand Prix. Leclerc’s frustration was immediately clear, the word “throttle” mentioned before he let out a scream of frustration that will no doubt ring long in the ears of his Ferrari engineers.
Leclerc was quick to take all the blame for the crash after the race. “I think it’s just a mistake. Tried to take too much around the outside, put a wheel probably somewhere dirty, but it’s my fault and if I keep doing mistakes like this then I deserve not to win the championship,” he said.
The Ferrari driver further added, “I’m losing too many points, I think seven in Imola, 25 here because honestly we were the strongest car on track today. If we lose the championship by 32 points at the end of the season, I will know from where they are coming from. And it’s unacceptable, I just need to get on top of those things.”
The Monegasque driver was far from making excuses, but explained that he found the Ferrari hard to get to grips with over the French Grand Prix weekend.
Leclerc now faces a 63-point deficit in the drivers’ standings to leader Max Verstappen
The DNF certainly hampers Leclerc’s hopes of getting closer to Verstappen on the drivers’ championship leaderboard. Red Bull dominates the drivers’ championship standings despite Sergio Perez not finishing on the podium in France. Max Verstappen leads the standings with 233 points. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc registered a DNF in France but still occupies second place with 170 points. Perez lies in the third spot with 163 – ahead of Carlos Sainz, George Russell, and Lewis Hamilton.
In the constructors’ championship, Red Bull leads the table with 396 points, and Ferrari is significantly behind in second place with 314 points. Mercedes are further behind – they occupy third place, having earned 270 points.
More F1 News
- Twitter reacts following Red Bull’s double DNF disaster at Bahrain GP
- “I’m still in contention for the Drivers’ Championship” – Sergio Perez looks forward to the French GP
- Max Verstappen suffers 2nd DNF in three races as Red Bull frustrations grow
Follow our dedicated Formula One page for instant Formula One news and updates
