JUST IN : Leclerc explains issues with low-grip F1 tracks after Mexi

Leclerc explains issues with low-grip F1 tracks after Mexico struggles

Charles Leclerc explained his struggles during qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix, where he fell behind teammate Carlos Sainz due to challenges on the low-grip track. Leclerc qualified fourth, over three-tenths slower than pole-sitter Sainz. He admitted disappointment but noted it wasn’t unexpected, as low-grip circuits often expose a weakness in his driving.

Leclerc described how he pushed his Ferrari to the limit, particularly around Turn 10, where a slip nearly cost him control. He emphasized that taking these risks was necessary, given his lack of pace. While he sees fourth place as reasonable, he acknowledged that the result could have been better. Reflecting on his qualifying approach, he mentioned that he tends to push hard in high-stakes moments but believes a more conservative approach might benefit him on low-grip circuits like Mexico.

Despite the challenging session, Leclerc took optimism from his long-run performance during practice, where he felt his race pace looked strong. This consistency gives him confidence for the race, although starting from fourth will present extra challenges. He noted that adapting his driving to be slightly less aggressive might reduce sliding on low-grip tracks and help secure cleaner laps in future qualifying sessions.

Leclerc also considered the impact of missing FP1, as his seat was given to Oliver Bearman for that session. Although he felt his performance wasn’t severely impacted, he admitted that more track time could have helped given the weekend’s difficulties. He emphasized that while the low-grip nature of the track complicated qualifying, it shouldn’t be an issue during the race, similar to his experience at Monza.

Summing up, Leclerc said that while the weekend hasn’t gone smoothly, he’s hopeful about his race pace and plans to adjust his approach on tracks with similar conditions in the future.