Leclerc was the only driver able to challenge Max Verstappen during qualifying in Bahrain, but despite his efforts, he was unable to secure pole position. However, he remained determined to make up for it during the race on Saturday.
Unfortunately, it was evident from the start of the race that Ferrari #16 was struggling. He was overtaken by George Russell of Mercedes, Sergio Perez of Red Bull, and eventually Carlos Sainz of Ferrari #55.
Leclerc’s performance was erratic as he kept locking up the front brakes. After the race, he revealed that he was facing an issue with inconsistent brake temperatures between the left and right sides of the car.
He stated: “The issue with the brakes was impossible to ignore in the first 15 laps and only got worse with each lap. Around lap 15 or 20, the issue finally stabilized. The team informed me over the radio that there was a temperature difference of over 100 degrees between the right and left front brakes, which is a significant difference. At that point, I realized the best course of action was to bring the car home. I struggled to navigate turns nine and ten for a few laps, experiencing unbalanced handling and frequent lock-ups. I made significant adjustments in an attempt to correct the situation.”
Leclerc expressed his frustration with his first race of the season, stating: “It was an incredibly frustrating race. I had been looking forward to this race for a long time, hoping to show our capabilities. Unfortunately, due to the unbalanced brake system and the overall performance of the car, I couldn’t demonstrate what we were truly capable of. We need to thoroughly analyze where things went wrong to ensure this issue does not happen again.”
Despite his disappointment, Leclerc managed to finish ahead of George Russell of Mercedes, securing fourth place. He found some satisfaction in this result, but believed that second place could have been achieved.
Reflecting on Leclerc’s difficulties, Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur commented: “Charles faced difficulties with the brakes throughout the race, which led to excessive tire wear during the first stint. Consequently, we had to make a pit stop earlier than planned. We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine why the brakes did not reach the correct temperature.”
The battle between Carlos and Charles was truly remarkable!
