Formula 1: Leclerc Concedes Ferrari’s Gap to McLaren is “Too Much” at Dutch Grand Prix Qualifying
Charles Leclerc has admitted that Ferrari’s 0.909s deficit to Lando Norris’s pole position lap time for McLaren at the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix is a significant concern for the Scuderia. Ferrari has been struggling to keep pace with Mercedes and McLaren since Leclerc’s dominant win at Monaco in May, and the Dutch Grand Prix weekend has only added to their woes.
Carlos Sainz missed a substantial portion of FP2 due to a gearbox issue, and the wet conditions in FP1 and FP3 left him unprepared for the soft compound tyres in qualifying. As a result, he was knocked out in 12th place, while Leclerc could only manage sixth, finishing a considerable 0.909s behind Norris.
When questioned by Autosport about the reality of Ferrari’s current situation, Leclerc acknowledged, “Unfortunately, it is. The lap was good, and we are nine tenths off, unfortunately, on such a short track. It’s a lot, it’s too much.“
Leclerc emphasized that the team is fully aware of their performance issues and is working tirelessly to address them. “We are lacking performance, and we’re doing absolutely everything to close that gap as soon as possible. Hopefully, the upgrades we’ll bring to the car will help us to close the gap.“
However, Leclerc remains hopeful that Ferrari’s struggles at Zandvoort may be specific to the track’s high-downforce nature. “There’s a roadmap [for recovery]. When I see a gap like today, nine tenths, it’s a lot, and I’m not so sure we have that until the end of the season, but let’s wait and see,” he explained.
The Monegasque driver believes that Ferrari’s car may not be suited to the demands of Zandvoort, which could exaggerate their performance deficit. “I think that a track like this doesn’t fit our car, and the gap is probably bigger than what we’ll see on other tracks with the same car. So today, we have struggled particularly, but I hope that from Monza onwards [Ferrari’s home race is coming next week], we’ll be in a better place.“
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