Following a questionable strategic decision by Ferrari at the Canadian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc expressed his disappointment, leading respected F1 journalist Peter Windsor to believe that the Monegasque driver has reached a breaking point with his team.
Windsor suggested that Leclerc has exhausted all avenues in his efforts to push the team forward and has now chosen to focus solely on his driving, abandoning the fight against the complexities and pressures he faces as the face of Ferrari.
Windsor shared his insights during an interview with Cameron F1 on the F1 Hour.
“The impression I get is that Charles has got to the point of his Ferrari career of knowing that he’s pushed as hard as he can possibly push in every direction and it hasn’t really worked,” he said.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
“Now he’s just going to be a racing driver and drive the best possible race he can but he’s not going to get involved because there’s no future in trying to do that.
“Politically, it’s too complicated, too much pressure, and he’s got to just focus on his driving. I think that’s where he’s at.”
While Leclerc is known for his emotional nature, Windsor believes that the pressure he faces is more complex compared to drivers like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
He hints that Leclerc may be confused adding: “If Charles is thinking that way, then he’s confused for sure.
“Because he’s a lot better, in terms of his technique and his abilities, he’s ahead of Sainz for sure. But he’s very, very mixed up.”
Despite the frustrations, Windsor acknowledged that Leclerc’s options are limited as there are no better alternatives available in the current driver market.
He suggested that Leclerc might benefit from a new structure around his personal life to simplify things.
However, Windsor acknowledges that Leclerc is still performing admirably despite the challenges, citing the qualifying session in Canada as a missed opportunity due to tire temperature issues.
Windsor points to the hiring of former Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur as a potential solution to Ferrari’s operational errors but notes that there is little evidence of a more straightforward approach.
READ: Ferrari boss admits he wants Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull chief
He questions why Ferrari wasted time experimenting with the wrong tire choice during qualifying and suggests that a different decision-making process could have been more beneficial.
Expressing his disappointment, Windsor stated: “I think, for Max, it was absolutely the right decision because they’re well enough organised to get the banker lap in just in case the weather changed or red flag or whatever.
“But, with Ferrari, there was nothing to lose… What were they doing pratting around on intermediates and then putting him on the slicks? Five laps later, he still hadn’t got them up to temperature. It was so easy to read.”