In the recent qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari driver, saw how an error with a poorly displayed yellow flag cost him a position on the starting grid. The incident occurred in the final moments of the session at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Leclerc found himself 0.070 seconds ahead of his best time on his last lap when he approached the Bus Stop chicane. However, just at the crucial moment, a yellow flag was displayed at the pit entrance, coinciding with the retirement of Isack Hadjar from Red Bull, who had parked his car.
The confusion arose from a double yellow flag, one on the track and another at the pit entrance. The latter was visible to Leclerc as he maneuvered through the last corner, forcing him to lift off the throttle, causing him to lose 0.030 seconds on his final time.
With only 0.024 seconds separating him from the fourth place held by George Russell, Leclerc expressed frustration because this error cost him one spot on the grid. ‘I am disappointed with the last lap as the yellow flag for the pit entrance was too visible on track,’ Leclerc commented after qualifying.
The team’s principal, Fred Vasseur, explained that the yellow flag was due to Hadjar’s situation. ‘Charles had to reduce his speed due to the rule; it’s tough when the car in front of you is 0.030 seconds faster,’ said Vasseur.
Despite having had issues with energy deployment during free practice, qualifying was more stable for Leclerc and Ferrari, who anticipated a challenging performance at Spa due to their power difference with Mercedes. Ultimately, Leclerc qualified 0.532 seconds off the poleman, Kimi Antonelli, with his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, just behind, by only 0.002 seconds.
Leclerc concluded by noting that Mercedes enjoys better performance, especially in parts of the circuit where power is crucial, although the Ferrari is strong in low grip sectors. ‘We need to focus on maximizing what we have on circuits like this,’ he added.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
