Charles Leclerc Critiques Ferrari’s Wet Weather Performance in Las Vegas

Charles Leclerc openly criticized Ferrari’s ongoing struggle with its Formula 1 car’s performance in wet conditions following a disappointing qualifying session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix on March 16, 2024. The Scuderia faced challenging results, with Leclerc finishing in P9 while his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, was eliminated in Q1, placing last.

This criticism comes in the wake of remarks made by Ferrari chairman John Elkann, who had urged the drivers to “talk less and focus on driving” after a double retirement at the Brazilian Grand Prix two weeks prior. Both Leclerc and Hamilton acknowledged Elkann’s comments positively ahead of the Las Vegas GP weekend, hoping for improved results. Unfortunately, the qualifying session did not meet their expectations.

Ferrari appeared competitive during practice sessions, with Leclerc topping FP1 on March 15, but the conditions did not reflect those of the qualifying round. While FP2 experienced slight dampness, it was not representative of the wet weather encountered during qualifying. In this session, both drivers struggled to maintain tire performance, particularly Leclerc, who frequently found himself in the runoff areas.

In a post-qualifying interview, Leclerc attributed Ferrari’s challenges to a persistent inability to adapt to wet conditions, a problem he has identified since joining the team in 2019. He noted that input from former teammate Carlos Sainz, who previously raced for Red Bull, Renault, and McLaren, as well as from Hamilton, who brought experience from McLaren and Mercedes, had not led to any significant improvements in the car’s setup for wet weather.

Leclerc described the Las Vegas GP qualifying conditions as “too tricky” but expressed resignation over the unsatisfactory result, stating, “It is what it is.” He also reflected on Ferrari’s aspirations for second place in the constructors’ championship, which now seems increasingly difficult. Following the Brazilian GP, Mercedes had established a 36-point lead over Ferrari, and on qualifying day, George Russell secured P4, positioning himself well for the race on Sunday.

With Kimi Antonelli qualifying in P17, he will start ahead of Hamilton, complicating Ferrari’s chances further. The Scuderia’s primary objective for the Las Vegas GP now appears to be minimizing the gap to Mercedes, with Leclerc anticipated to carry much of the responsibility during the race.

As the weekend progresses, Ferrari’s ability to adapt to challenging conditions remains under scrutiny, and the team’s performance will be closely watched as they attempt to recover from a difficult qualifying round.