Charles Leclerc admits to ‘overreacting’ in Singapore team radio
- Bevan Youl
Charles Leclerc has admitted that his “reaction was well over what it should have been” at the Singapore Grand Prix after the driver voiced his frustration of losing the lead to Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel during the pitstop period.
Leclerc had qualified on pole for the third straight race and was comfortably in the lead before Ferrari decided to pit Vettel first, leading him to undercut both Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and the Monegasque.
Understandably frustrated about losing the lead the 21-year has come to terms with the reason behind the decisions made, stating that he should have “just shut up instead”.
"I believe my reaction was well over what it should be," he said (quoted by Autosport).
"And that shows that I've still got a lot to learn.
"In that situation there was no need to be like this - the team [did] the right thing, we finished first and second.
"We wouldn't have finished first and second with another strategy, and that's what matters the most.
"So on that I definitely have got a lot to learn. [And] a lot to improve. But that won't happen again in the future.
"In the car it's always very difficult. There's a lot of adrenaline. I wake up in the morning thinking about victory, I go to sleep thinking about victory, so sometimes it might be hard.
"But I just need to control myself more in these situations and, how can I say it politely, just shut up instead of speaking on the radio. I'll learn from it, and try for it not to happen again.”