Erratic Leclerc laments error that cost him Emilia Romagna podium

From P2 on the grid, Leclerc made a slow getaway as the five lights went out, conceding positions to Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and McLaren’s Lando Norris as Verstappen streaked away at the front – Leclerc passing Norris for P3 eight laps later.

But a late dice roll from Ferrari saw the Monegasque driver change onto soft tires. And he was chasing down Perez for P2 on Lap 53 when he clouted the kerb at the Variante Alta, spinning his Ferrari into the barriers and forcing another pit stop for a nose change – and a collective groan from the sea of Ferrari fans. And after eventually recovering from P9 to P6, Leclerc opened up about the race’s outcome.

“It is a big shame,” he said. “The spin should not have happened today. P3 was the best I could do, and I was too greedy, and I paid the price for it and lost seven potential points before. It is a shame; it’s valuable at the end of the championship.

A podium finish slides away from Charles Leclerc 😖#ImolaGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Y55Wplnb3V

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 24, 2022

Leclerc’s spin came after Ferrari had already endured a demoralizing start to the race when Carlos Sainz was spun into the Tamburello gravel on Lap 1 by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo – while the Scuderia appeared to lack the outright pace of Red Bull around Imola on Sunday, as Verstappen secured victory to go with his pole position and Sprint win.

And asked if he felt Red Bull had made a step in performance this weekend, Leclerc replied: “It’s impossible to know. Only time will tell how much of a step they made, but they seem to be more competitive than the first three races or similar to Jeddah.

“We’ve had the upper hand in Bahrain and Australia, and they’ve had the upper hand in this weekend and Jeddah. It is very, very close, and I think it will be that way for the rest of the season, and that is why every small mistake. it’s a big mistake, but the consequence, considering the error, could have been much more extensive.

“It’s only seven points today, but it could be more the next time,” added Leclerc. “So I need to be careful about that.” Despite the error, Leclerc still heads the drivers’ standings, but Verstappen’s second victory has moved him to P2 – Leclerc’s advantage standing at 27 points.