Leclerc Followed Title Fight on Screens During 'Boring' Qatar GP
Charles Leclerc described his Qatar GP as "very boring," admitting he spent his race watching the thrilling championship battle unfold on trackside screens. Despite finishing eighth, Leclerc kept tabs on the Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris fight, even calculating potential outcomes. He now looks forward to the Abu Dhabi finale, hoping for an exciting conclusion to the tight title race, while aspiring for Ferrari to be in contention next time.
Charles Leclerc found himself an unexpected spectator during a challenging Qatar Grand Prix, admitting he was following the championship battle on trackside screens and doing "math in my head" — a testament to how uninspiring his own race in eighth position was.
Why it matters:
Ferrari and Leclerc endured a frustrating Qatar weekend, highlighting the ongoing struggles for the Scuderia to consistently challenge at the front. Leclerc's candid remarks underscore the current competitive gap while also emphasizing the broader excitement of a tight championship battle, even if he's not directly involved.
The details:
- Leclerc finished a distant eighth, scoring only four points for Ferrari, while teammate Lewis Hamilton also struggled, finishing outside the points in both the sprint and main race.
- The Qatar GP was characterized by a "DRS train" effect, making overtaking extremely difficult for many drivers, including Leclerc, contributing to what he called a "very boring" race.
- Despite his own struggles, Leclerc tuned into the thrilling three-way battle for victory between Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris, actively trying to calculate potential outcomes.
- Verstappen's Victory: Max Verstappen ultimately won the race after McLaren made a strategic error with both Piastri and Norris, forcing them to recover through the field. Piastri managed second, but Norris dropped to fourth after a late mistake.
What's next:
Looking ahead to the championship decider in Abu Dhabi, Leclerc acknowledged the intensity of the title fight, currently led by Lando Norris with a 12-point advantage over Max Verstappen, and 16 points over Oscar Piastri.
- Leclerc predicts the title will likely come down to Norris and Verstappen, but warns that "anything can happen," especially with the high tension that could lead to incidents.
- He expressed his desire to be part of such a thrilling championship battle, stating, "It's nice to see those battles, but it would be lovely if I could be part of it." This highlights his ongoing ambition to bring Ferrari back to championship contention.