Charles Leclerc admitted he was “very lucky” to qualify fourth on the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix after crashing in the first phase of qualifying.
The Ferrari driver thanked his team for repairing his car after he spun into the barrier at the final corner. “I’ve been very lucky to go again,” he said. “I have to thank the team very much for what they’ve done.”Leclerc said he needs to cut out errors such as this one, his crash out of the race in Germany last weekend and his Q2 crash in Azerbaijan.
“It was a completely unnecessary mistake at that point of quali. So that’s two mistakes in two grands prix. The first one was acceptable I would say but this one is definitely not acceptable. And if I would have stayed in the wall it would have been a lot worse.
“I need to learn from these mistakes. This is the second one in quali at an unnecessary time. I need to understand how to work on that.”
The slipstream from Sebastian Vettel’s car played a role in his crash, Leclerc added.
“Baku was just trying too hard,” he said. “This one I had Seb starting the lap in front so I knew I would lose a little bit of downforce. I’ve just been surprised, but it was completely my fault.”
However Leclerc said he was pleased with his pace at the end of the session. “A very positive in Q3 on my side. Of course we are half a second down, that’s not where we want to be, but very happy with my lap overall.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2019 F1 season
- Crying in the Melbourne car park at 2019 grand prix was my career low – Ocon
- McLaren Racing reports reduced £71 million loss in 2019
- Kvyat: Hockenheim podium last year was “my biggest achievement” so far
- How the FIA’s new encrypted fuel flow meter targets Ferrari’s suspected ‘aliasing’ trick
- “He smashed my office door”: 23 must-see moments from ‘Drive to Survive’ season two
Chaitanya
3rd August 2019, 16:00
He is fast running out of excuses on things to blame for crash.
Gabriel (@rethla)
3rd August 2019, 16:49
I wouldnt call “it was completely my fault” an excuse but each to their own.
Chaitanya
3rd August 2019, 17:40
How many times have we heard that before (this season alone)? He really needs to rethink his approach on when to push.
Gabriel (@rethla)
3rd August 2019, 18:15
Clearly but he is aware and he is inexperienced. Looking at the experienced drivers Vettel and Kimi i would say he is doing alright by Ferrari standards already.
Jim
4th August 2019, 2:03
Agree.
It took VER 4 years to get it right – LEC still has a lot of learning to do.
He’s a hell of a driver.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
3rd August 2019, 20:09
Typical anti-ferrari bias in play. The kid has only blamed himself, as usual any time anything ferrari speaks somehow it makes things worse for him
LB (@burden93)
3rd August 2019, 16:20
Very quick and likable driver, he just needs to cut out the mistakes. Definitely not the first young driver to have that problem and definitely won’t be the last. He’s shown he can bounce back, give it a year or 2 and he’ll be right up there
Robbie (@robbie)
3rd August 2019, 21:42
Yeah that wouldn’t surprise me at all.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
3rd August 2019, 16:33
I think he’s got to chill out a bit and cut himself some slack. This is only his second year isn’t it? Mistakes are going to happen but the amount this guy beats himself up over them is a little overdramatic. I’d hate him to damage his own confidence in punishing himself for errors that will get ironed out over time.
Bulgarian (@bulgarian)
3rd August 2019, 16:42
Rome wasn’t built in a day; Max has reached his peak on his 4th year with Red Bull. Leclerc is still in the learning process.
F1oSaurus (@)
3rd August 2019, 17:12
Indeed he really did get too close to Vettel. Still, no point in pushing so hard then.
AUSKPY
3rd August 2019, 17:52
Leclerc is fast but making too many mistakes right now. Being quick is not everything I guess Grosjean was once quick still is once in a while and now after years of disastrous mistakes he’s considered a yoke.
You better believe you got lucky today Charlie probably millimeters away from breaking the rear suspension. Don’t get me started with the overly dramatic bs again. Suck it up and be better F1 drivers these days are too soft all of them not just the young ones.
Dan
4th August 2019, 7:01
Your last comments make no sense in context to this article and what Charles said…