BREAKING: Ferrari postpones decision on Leclerc gearbox

F1 News

22 May 2021 at 19:02
Last update 22 May 2021 at 20:10
  • GPblog.com

It was such an incredibly exciting qualifying session in Monaco this year that until long after the flag fell it could not be said with certainty who would start at the front on Sunday. Charles Leclerc had indeed driven the fastest time, but also folded up his Ferrari. Can it be repaired without incurring a grid penalty was now the big question.

Hours after the end of the qualifying session we still don't have an answer to this question and we won't get it today either. Ferrari tells us on Twitter that the damage to the gearbox after the first inspection doesn't seem to be too bad, but they will decide tomorrow whether they will actually replace it or not.

Starting position is crucial in Monaco

Not only Leclerc will be in a state of uncertainty because of this, but also the drivers behind him, like Max Verstappen. They all hope to benefit from a possible grid penalty due to a gearbox change at Ferrari. The grid was so tight during qualifying that a gap of just a few tenths would be catastrophic for the chances of Carlos Sainz and certainly Lewis Hamilton, who will need a lot of luck to make up so many places during the race.