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Charles Leclerc cut a deeply frustrated figure after crashing out of qualifying in Spain, admitting he felt “ashamed” after another missed opportunity left him 10th on the grid for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
The Ferrari driver lost control at Turn 4 early in Q3 and slid into the barrier, ending his session before he could set the kind of lap the team’s upgraded car appeared capable of delivering. The incident came just six days after his crash in the Monaco Grand Prix, adding to the sense of personal frustration around a weekend that had otherwise looked promising.
Leclerc did not try to soften the mistake. Speaking after qualifying, he said: “I’m okay, apart from feeling very ashamed of coming here to speak in front of the camera after another ‘what if’. Unfortunately, last week was the same with ‘what if we didn’t have that issue’ this weekend is ‘what if I didn’t do that mistake’.”
The disappointment was sharpened by Ferrari’s performance potential in Barcelona. The team arrived with a significant upgrade package, and Lewis Hamilton underlined its value by qualifying his Ferrari on the front row, splitting the Mercedes cars. For more on the team’s development push, read our report on Ferrari’s major SF-26 upgrade package for Barcelona.
Against that backdrop, Leclerc’s 10th-place starting position felt like a major opportunity lost. He said: “I just feel ashamed of not putting everything together on what was a very positive weekend so far. The feeling is back and I’m still optimistic for tomorrow but I should be starting higher up and I don’t because of a mistake of mine.”
Leclerc pointed to Turn 4 as the weak point in an otherwise strong lap profile. He felt his Q2 lap had been highly competitive, with Ferrari strong or close to strongest through most corners, but that particular section remained a problem.
Explaining the crash, he said he released the brakes and carried more speed into the corner. The entry was manageable through the middle of the turn, but he drifted onto a dirtier part of the circuit and lost the car.
“But there’s no excuses, it’s a mistake,” he added.
Leclerc’s self-criticism extended beyond the sporting consequences. He said he felt he had let down those supporting him, adding: “I feel ashamed and disappointed, I mean I feel ashamed for disappointing so many people that are supporting us and it must be tough to stick with me.”
Even so, he insisted the underlying feeling in the car had returned and remained optimistic for the race. From 10th, however, Ferrari’s upgraded pace will have to be converted the hard way.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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