Sports · Motorsport · 2 hrs ago
Leclerc says he missed chances to pass Verstappen during Singapore GP
At the Singapore Grand Prix, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc started better than Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and tried to take the lead at Turn 1.
Verstappen held on, and Leclerc said he did not regret the move because he could not see the usual braking markers while racing alongside him.
Leclerc later realised he had missed other chances to pass during the opening laps.
Verstappen was having problems deploying electrical power, but Leclerc initially thought each loss of power was a one-off.
He therefore did not use his own battery to make the most of those moments.
Leclerc said he could no longer react when he recognised that Verstappen had lost power again.
He was unsure whether passing would have changed the result, saying Verstappen was strong and Red Bull managed its tyres better.
Charles Leclerc said he missed opportunities to pass Max Verstappen during the opening laps of the Singapore Grand Prix.
Verstappen had electrical deployment issues, but Leclerc initially thought each loss of power was a one-off and did not use his battery.
Leclerc said he realised too late to use his own power when Verstappen again lacked power at the end of a straight.
Leclerc did not consider his failure to pass Verstappen at Turn 1 a missed opportunity, saying he would have made the same choice again.
He said he was unsure whether passing earlier would have changed the result, and acknowledged that Verstappen was strong and Red Bull managed its tyres better.
- Who
- Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
- What
- Leclerc said he missed chances to pass Verstappen during the Singapore Grand Prix.
- When
- During the opening stages, including the first three laps.
- Where
- The Singapore Grand Prix, at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
- Why
- Leclerc thought Verstappen’s deployment problems would happen only once and did not use his battery. When he recognised the problem was recurring, it was too late to use his power.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
I would have done exactly the same.
We had a few laps with some deployment issues, so that's where Charles actually almost got me into Turn 7.
There were a few opportunities in the first three laps when Max had the deployment issues, but I always thought that it was a one-off, so I wasn't really using my battery, which maybe was a mistake.
When I was realising that he had no power at the end of the straight, I couldn't do anything. It was too late for me to use my power.
Leclerc had a better start and took the inside line, but Verstappen kept the lead.
Verstappen experienced deployment issues and Leclerc nearly passed him at Turn 7.
Leclerc saw several opportunities but initially thought Verstappen’s power problem was a one-off.
- Drivers
- Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen
- Teams
- Ferrari and Red Bull
- Circuit
- Marina Bay Street Circuit
- Deployment issues
- Verstappen had problems during the opening stages
- Opportunity
- Leclerc said chances arose in the first three laps
Sources
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