Charles Leclerc shoulders the blame after disappointing P6 qualifying at Silverstone

Charles Leclerc Admits Qualifying Struggles Ahead of British Grand Prix

Silverstone, England – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was brutally frank about his own performance after qualifying sixth for the British Grand Prix, admitting he must step up his game. "I need to be better," he stated, visibly frustrated after another underwhelming showing in a season where his qualifying pace has often fallen short.

Ferrari came into the weekend with high hopes, looking like serious contenders for pole position. However, Max Verstappen claimed the top spot, with both McLaren drivers slotting in behind him to complete a strong front row. Leclerc, meanwhile, will start Sunday’s race from the third row of the grid, directly behind Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who secured fourth.

The dejection was palpable as Leclerc voiced his frustration over the team radio following his final flying lap in Q3:

"F---, f---, f---, f---, f--- that," he lamented. "So f---ing shit I am. I am so f---ing shit. That's all I am."

Speaking to the media shortly after leaving the car, the 25-year-old didn’t hold back on his self-assessment. When asked where things unraveled, Leclerc pinned the blame squarely on himself.

"More than getting away from me, I'm not doing the job," he admitted. "And I think since the beginning of the season, I've been performing very well in the races. Looking back at those, there are actually not many where I would change something I did in the car.

"But in qualifying, which used to be my strength, there are so many sessions I would go back to tweak. When I get to Q3, for some reason, it's just not clicking."

This inability to translate strong early-session pace into standout Q3 results has been a recurring theme for Leclerc this season. While he has shown resilience and skill during race stints, qualifying has become an Achilles' heel for the Monegasque driver.

"We've had good qualifying, but we haven't had great qualifying," he continued. "This used to be my strength, so I'm not happy with the level I'm showing in qualifying.

"We've got issues, for sure, particularly today, from Q2 onwards. We were fighting with something inside the car. But it’s not an excuse. I need to be better."

Challenges Await in Sunday’s Race

Leclerc acknowledged the uphill battle awaiting him in Sunday’s Grand Prix, especially given the challenges of starting in sixth place.

"Starting P6 again makes it so difficult," he said. "Every time, we start the race by fighting to come back. And then once we are back at the front, those who’ve had a clean race just have an advantage on us. We need to be better in qualifying."

While taking ownership of his performance, Leclerc also alluded to mysterious handling issues that emerged during qualifying.

"The issues are very specific. It’s not a balance issue, it’s not a grip issue," Leclerc said cryptically. "I don’t want to go into the details, but it’s just something very weird. Especially in high-speed corners, it makes it even more difficult. But hopefully, we can resolve it.

"The good thing, if we can call it that, is that tomorrow we won’t have any of those problems for sure."

When asked whether these issues had been present throughout the season, Leclerc chose to remain tight-lipped. "I was expecting too much," he said simply before leaving the press session abruptly.

With consistent qualifying pace continuing to elude them, Ferrari faces an uphill climb at Silverstone. For Leclerc, it's another opportunity to prove his mettle as he tries to claw his way back into podium contention in a season that has been anything but straightforward. Ferrari’s fans and team alike will be hoping for a Sunday turnaround.

Up Next