Leclerc’s bad moment despite an excellent start in F1 and being the king of qualifying this year, with six pole positions. Photo REUTERS / Hamad i Mohammed / Pool
Not many weeks ago, Charles Leclerc was the top driver of Formula 1: he dominated the drivers’ championship with a Ferrari that seemed indomitable. However, the problems began when the category reached the streets of Monaco and Baku, where the Monegasque driver started fourth and retired respectively, despite having taken pole position in both, and they seem to follow him wherever he goes.
This time, whoever holds the record for setting the fastest qualifying time in six of eight races has missed the flight that was supposed to take him to Montreal, where the Canadian Grand Prix will be held this weekend.
“I’ll start the week by missing my flight to Montreal,” the 24-year-old wrote in a story that he uploaded to his Instagram account and what is seen in a large airport lounge, without giving details of what happened.
The story Charles Leclerc uploaded to his Instagram.
Sunday was a day to forget for Ferrari on the Azerbaijani road, as none of their cars finished the race. “It’s a task for the whole team, also because of what happened to Charles, but that’s it. This is Formula 1. And there will always be hard days and better days,” Carlos Sainz told Dazn TV channel Sunday in Azerbaijan. .
The Spaniards have also left, but for another reason. As explained by his foreman, the Italian-Swiss Mattia Binotto, it was “a plumbing problem” but they didn’t know why “it happened”.
“You have to think that there is still a lot of championship left. And that better days will come,” he was excited then. However, the week of the race did not start well for the Scuderia teammate who dropped to third place in the championship – behind Max Verstappen and Checo Pérez -, with 116 points, 34 less than the reigning champion.
A curse on Leclerc?
There is also a rumor among those who do not rule out that Leclerc’s losing streak began at the Imola circuit for a gift that the Monegasque Ferrari driver received in that race, the fourth of the 2022 season.
After his second retirement in the last three matches, the social networks have been flooded with an image starring Leclerc and the shirt of one of the most loved football teams in Italy.
Like most of the riders during the weekend, he was visited in the paddock by personalities and fans who wanted to greet him and meet him. Among these, the management of Lazio in Rome appeared, a club that won two Serie A championships, seven Italian Cups and a European Super Cup, among other titles.
The biancocelesti have decided to give the 24-year-old driver an autographed shirt with name and number on the back. Although the Ferrari driver is not the biggest fan, he seemed to appreciate the gesture and assured him: “I don’t follow football much, but I’m very happy. Thank you very much”.
Some time later, at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the Monegasque finished sixth after hitting a wall and began the series of defeats that first made him lose the top at the hands of Verstappen and last weekend also the second place against the Mexican Sergio Checo Perez.
On Sunday 18th, at 2 pm in Argentina, Leclerc will have the great opportunity to demonstrate his validity and that of Ferrari. Sure, if the plane arrives in Montreal.
Source: Clarin
