One of the favorites of the Grand Prix arriving in Montreal, Charles Leclerc will have to start at the back of the peloton on Sunday. The complete replacement of its power unit, following a breakdown during the last Grand Prix in Azerbaijan, indeed resulted in a penalty, the Ferrari team having already exceeded the quota imposed by the regulations on each car for the whole of the season. .
Posted yesterday at 9:47 p.m.
The Monegasque still took part in the first part of qualifying (Q1), but he wisely stored his car in the garage afterwards. “I was satisfied with a few laps, just to see that everything was working well on the car, but there would have been no point in taking risks in such difficult conditions”, explained the man who already has six leading positions this season, with a four-game streak that ended on Saturday.
Currently third in the championship standings, 34 points behind Max Verstappen, Leclerc will have all the more difficulty in making up for part of his delay this Sunday as his rival will start from first place.
It’s a circuit where it’s possible to overtake your competitors, and I hope to be able to move up in the standings during the first laps. We will have to think about the strategy, be ready to react too, if there are neutralizations. We never know. We are going to do the maximum, and we will see where it will lead us.
Charles Leclerc
The Gilles-Villeneuve circuit is one of those where drivers lose the least time during pit stops. Leclerc could thus try to start on softer tires, even if it means stopping more often, perhaps thanks to a neutralization.
One thing is certain, he has no intention of giving up and his comeback will certainly be one of the main elements of the show this Sunday.
The Haas in the third line
Already very popular with the Montreal public, Mick Schumacher took advantage of his first visit to Montreal to sign his best performance of his career in qualifying with a remarkable sixth place. Combined with teammate Kevin Magnussen’s fifth place, Schumacher’s performance allows the Haas team to confirm their remarkable progress this season.
Photo CHRIS HELGREN, REUTERS
Mick Schumacher
“The car was really fantastic,” Schumacher said. I’ve always enjoyed driving on a wet track, the kind of conditions where a rider can really stand out. I had good grip in all the corners and I could have even done a little better if I hadn’t been slowed down by Carlos. [Sainz], at the end. But I’m still really happy. It is a result on which I can build my confidence and move forward. »
For his part, Magnussen was happy for the team. “It’s obviously an excellent result. The car was really efficient in these conditions and I was immediately comfortable, explained the one he occupies the 12e place in the driver standings. I think I could even have done a little better if the rain had continued to the end, but we are very well placed. »
Photo GEOFF ROBINS, Agence France-Presse
Kevin Magnussen
We still have to be realistic, there are several fast cars behind us and the first laps will be difficult in the dry. I think we can compete with the cars in the middle of the pack and we have a chance of picking up several points. I hope we can enjoy it.
Kevin Magnussen
Another driver, the Chinese Zhou Guanyu, also signed his best result of his career with a tenth place in qualifying. In a press briefing, the 23-year-old driver did not hide his satisfaction: “It was my first qualifying in the rain, my first visit to this circuit too, and I’m really happy to have been able to obtain this result. I feel like I’ve made progress in every race since the start of the season, and that was confirmed today. »
Zhou also explained how his engineering background benefited him: “I feel like I had to make many decisions on my own. [samedi] with changing conditions throughout qualifying. I think I made the right choices and I’m happy with this result. All that remains to be confirmed in the race! »