Leclerc crashing forced Hamilton to be Ferrari’s lead data source in Canada
Charles Leclerc will be using Lewis Hamilton’s car data to inform his setup at the Canadian Grand Prix after his opening day ended early following a crash in FP1.
READ MORE: Karun Chandhok questions Hamilton’s trust in Ferrari after blunt Canadian GP comments
The Monegasque driver damaged his SF-25’s chassis against the Turn 3 wall in the first practice session, sidelining him for the rest of Friday. Ferrari weren’t able to get FIA approval for repairs before FP2, and even if they had, the rebuild would have been too extensive to complete in time.
Karun Chandhok commented that Leclerc was overly ambitious in trying to save the car after a lock-up, resulting in the crash that ruled him out for the remainder of the day.
With no laps completed in the second session, Leclerc is forced to lean on Hamilton’s FP2 data as he and the team prepare for qualifying. Historically, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve hasn’t been one of his stronger venues, he’s only qualified inside the top ten once as a Ferrari driver.
Ferrari’s early pace leaves Leclerc and Hamilton needing big overnight gains in Canada
Hamilton, who is still searching for comfort over a single lap, ended FP2 ninth fastest, over half a second behind George Russell’s leading pace and also trailing both Williams drivers as well as Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin.
Ferrari’s Friday wasn’t just about Leclerc’s limited running. The SF-25 looked off the pace over long runs as well. According to Auto Motor und Sport, Hamilton’s race simulation pace also lagged behind the Williams drivers and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, a concerning indicator given Alpine’s status at the bottom of the championship.
Ferrari have already faced tough battles with Williams this season, most notably in Miami, where they finished seventh and eighth. Falling behind Alpine in Montreal would be a worrying sign of regression rather than progress.
Leclerc on the back foot again as Ferrari weigh overnight adjustments
Hamilton had requested a change to the SF-25’s power steering system ahead of the weekend to address an input delay, but Ferrari reportedly told him it couldn’t be implemented on short notice.
Leclerc, meanwhile, will hope his limited Friday running won’t prevent him from extracting the car’s full potential by qualifying. While he is believed to be slightly frustrated by the attention Hamilton’s feedback is getting internally, the team has followed their usual setup processes, and, in this case, had little choice given Leclerc’s early exit.
Ferrari will spend Friday night analyzing Hamilton’s data to find improvements for both cars before qualifying. But based on early signs, Leclerc may face an uphill battle to extend his recent run of podiums at the Canadian Grand Prix.
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