Leclerc reflects on ‘difficult’ Canadian GP

Charles Leclerc endured a weekend of mixed emotions at the Canadian Grand Prix, ultimately finishing fifth despite Ferrari showing flashes of strong pace. The Monegasque’s struggles began early with a significant crash in FP1, which damaged his chassis and hampered his preparation for Qualifying. A subsequent mistake in Q3 left him frustrated, forcing him to start a disappointing eighth on the grid. While he led portions of the race as other frontrunners pitted, Leclerc’s initial grid position proved a formidable obstacle. He also admitted to a strategic disagreement with his team regarding a one-stop versus two-stop strategy, though he conceded it likely didn’t alter his final result. Despite the setbacks, Leclerc remained optimistic about the car’s pace, suggesting his starting position was the primary impediment. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, also faced a challenging race, finishing P6. Hamilton revealed that his car suffered significant floor damage after hitting a groundhog on track, and he also battled with brake issues that nearly led to a failure. Despite these handicaps, Hamilton expressed gratitude for securing points, highlighting the team’s ongoing struggles with brake reliability this season.