18 June 2023 , 06:27
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Charles Leclerc is getting more and more disillusioned with Ferrari by the weekend.
And it's hard to blame him. Formula 1 strategy decisions are never simple to make, but a team with Ferrari's ambitions must be a whole lot better at making the right calls at the right times.
It was one of the main reasons why their title challenge collapsed last season. And their frailties have not gone away, as evidenced by what happened to Leclerc during qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix.
The track was drying at the start of Q2. The rain had yet to arrive and Alex Albon was the intrepid racer who was brave enough to switch to slick tyres right from the off.
The result? The Williams racer set the time that ended up being the fastest of that part of the session. So most others followed suit to get in a lap on the fastest slicks... but not Leclerc.
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He asked to go on softs over the radio. But he was told no. Max Verstappen was going out on intermediates so the safest thing to do, in their eyes, was to follow suit.
Given how good Red Bull strategy department has been over the past couple of years, the temptation to copy their strategy is understandable. But following others means you're late to the party, and that was exactly what happened with Leclerc.
Charles Leclerc was clearly upset with his Ferrari team (Sky Sports)By the time the team realised he should no longer be on intermediates, it was too late. Those on slicks had gone faster and he was out in Q2, setting only the 11th fastest time.
Leclerc was livid after the session and is fully aware that these blunders are a pattern for his team. "We need to do a step forward now because this is not the first time it has happened," he said, which sounded like something of a threat to his team. "I'm getting a bit sick and tired of this, guys'."
Only a few weeks ago, in Monaco, Leclerc was handed a penalty for impeding Lando Norris during qualifying. Why did he not know the McLaren man was behind him? Because his team was too busy telling him about the time Verstappen had just set.
Leclerc impeded Norris in Monaco while Ferrari were telling him about Verstappen's lap time (Sky Sports)The Dutchman is the man to beat in F1 right now and making him their target is exactly the sort of ambition Ferrari must always show. But these incidents are examples hinting that their obsession with Verstappen is actually hindering them.
It's a cliché in sport, but what Ferrari need to do is focus on themselves. The Italians have far too many chinks in their armour to even think about challenging the Red Bulls in a straight fight right now, not least their penchant for a tactical clanger like the one made on Saturday.
Leclerc's mood is not going to get any better until Ferrari have a competitive car and the strategy team are making consistently good calls. With his current contract expiring at the end of next year, the Monegasque might end up considering his options if the same mistakes keep being made.
After all, an F1 career only comes around once and Leclerc cannot waste more years with a team which, for years, has not possessed a bite to match its bark.