Frustration boiled over inside the Scuderia Ferrari garage as Charles Leclerc unleashed a foul-mouthed radio rant during an untelevised moment at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix qualifying session. Having topped both Friday practice sessions at the Circuit of the Americas, the Monegasque driver suffered a drastic performance drop when it mattered most during Saturday's grid-deciding shootout.
Prior to the qualifying drama, the Maranello outfit had injected a massive dose of optimism into their weekend campaign. Leclerc dominated the opening day's running, while his incoming teammate Lewis Hamilton set the pace during Saturday morning's final practice session. This promising trajectory firmly positioned Ferrari as a legitimate threat for pole position heading into the afternoon.
However, reality struck hard as track conditions shifted during Q3, leaving both scarlet cars struggling to match their earlier pace. Leclerc ultimately salvaged fourth on the starting grid, finishing over two tenths adrift of Mercedes polesitter Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Meanwhile, Hamilton encountered his own hurdles and slotted into fifth place for Sunday's main event.
Behind closed doors, a previously untelevised team radio transmission captured Leclerc launching a scathing attack on his machine's handling characteristics. He heavily criticized the SF-24's tyre performance as being completely unacceptable while lamenting an improper front wing adjustment that severely hampered his flying lap attempts around the challenging Texas circuit.
Addressing the media after stepping out of the cockpit, Leclerc pointed out that a minor drop in track temperature created a night-and-day difference for their tyre operating window. Despite the qualifying heartbreak, the 2024 COTA race winner remains hopeful of mounting a strong recovery drive, drawing confidence from his previous triumph when starting from the exact same fourth position.
Read Also
Simak analisis lengkap kegagalan George Russell di kualifikasi F1 GP AS 2026 dan peluangnya bangkit saat balapan. Baca ulasan mendalam di sini!
Simak keluhan ekstrem Carlos Sainz soal trek F1 Austin yang mirip reli Dakar dan respons jenaka Lewis Hamilton. Baca analisis selengkapnya di sini!
Fernando Alonso ungkap masalah power unit Aston Martin jelang F1 GP Amerika Serikat 2026. Baca analisis mendalam selengkapnya di sini!
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!