F1 News

Leclerc left confused after damaging floor in qualifying

Leclerc left confused after damaging floor in qualifying

11-05-2019 16:54
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Jake Williams-Smith

Charles Leclerc will start the Spanish Grand Prix from fifth after a disappointing qualifying session left him down the order and with a broken floor.

The Monegasque driver made a mistake on his initial run in Q2, running wide at turn nine and losing part of the SF90's floor over the harsh kerbs. It meant he was forced to use a fresh set of soft tyres to make it into Q3.

The previous mistake had a knock-on effect, leaving him with just one new set to use in the final session. His lap was unspectacular and meant Max Verstappen successfully split the two Ferrari's on the grid.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the session, Leclerc admitted he was confused over the extent of the damage he sustained.

“I’m not very happy,” Leclerc said. “But on the other hand I don’t really understand how I could lose that much of the car on the kerb. I did not expect it.

“I got a little bit of understeer but kept the car flat, thinking everything would be fine but unfortunately we broke quite a lot and then had to stop again.

“It is still unclear to me, in Q3 the balance was very strange, so we need to check the car and see if everything is fine.

“But anyway it would not have [made much difference]. We were slower than the Mercedes today and that’s it.”

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