This is why Charles Leclerc couldn't catch Lando Norris in Imola

F1 News

Charles Leclerc on why he couldn't catch Lando Norris in Imola
20 May at 16:45
2
  • Toby Nixon
  • Editor

Charles Leclerc crossed the line in front of the adoring Tifosi in Imola in third place. The Monegasque spent parts of the race in touching distance of Lando Norris, who challenged eventual race winner Max Verstappen right up until the end of the Grand Prix. Leclerc, however, was unable to demonstrate the same pace as the young McLaren driver on his final stint and finished eight seconds behind Norris. Why did Leclerc lack pace compared to Norris? 

In the press conference after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc reveals why he couldn't keep up with Lando Norris. "Lando gained quite a bit of pace, and it was not possible for me to come back within DRS," said the Ferrari driver. "I was in a very awkward gap to Lando where you don't get the benefits of the DRS, but you are just losing in corners, which at the beginning of the stint with the Hard, with our pace advantage, I could get within DRS. As soon as I lost it, It was also at the same time Lando started to push a bit more, and the two things put together made me go back a little bit." 

Leclerc had to 'try' something different to catch Norris

Leclerc, who was driving an updated Ferrari SF-24 in Imola, also said: "I had to try something a little bit different. I knew that managing the tyres and attacking Lando at the end was not the right thing because the pace advantage was not enough. I just tried at the beginning to put him under a bit more pressure. But it wasn't enough."

Leclerc's result was enough to overtake Sergio Perez in the driver's standings in Imola. The Monegasque is now second on the leaderboard with 113 points.