Charles Leclerc Stands Firm, Won’t Blame Hadjar for Canadian GP Qualifying

Charles Leclerc endured a tough Saturday at the Canadian Grand Prix, finishing qualifying in eighth place when he believed a front-row start was within reach. The Ferrari driver set the pace early in Q3, registering a purple sector in the opening part of his final run.

However, a snap of oversteer at Turn 7 forced him to abandon his lap. Leclerc connected the issue to dirty air from Isack Hadjar’s Racing Bulls car ahead, which disturbed his run just as he was building momentum for a possible fight for pole position.

Leclerc’s preparation for qualifying was also hampered on Friday when he crashed in Free Practice 1 at Turn 3. The impact damaged his car’s survival cell, keeping him out for the whole of FP2 and costing valuable track time.

He clarified that the incident did not affect his performance, feeling comfortable in the car once he returned for FP3. Leclerc completed only three laps before the crash on Friday but said he was happy enough with the setup that almost no changes were made ahead of final practice.

Despite the frustration, Leclerc spoke calmly about the interference from Hadjar. He tracked down the French rookie after the session to clarify his comments, telling him that the situation was just an unfortunate matter of timing and not the latter’s fault.

Leclerc explained that circuits like Montreal, with close walls and limited space—similar to Monaco—can make following another car especially tricky. He stated that while emotions in the car run high, he did not believe Hadjar did anything wrong and stressed that sometimes these circumstances simply happen in Formula 1.

Leclerc, currently a regular fixture at the sharp end of the grid, has shown strong form this season with Ferrari. Saturday’s setback means he will need a fast start in Sunday’s race if he wants to recover ground.

He remains optimistic, saying a podium is possible if he can make up positions early during the opening laps at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Leclerc’s previous Montreal results and Ferrari’s pace in recent events give him hope for meaningful progress.

Isack Hadjar, making his mark in F1 with Racing Bulls, was also drawn into the spotlight by this incident but came away with no penalty or criticism from Leclerc or race officials. The interaction between the two highlighted the challenges of qualifying on busy tracks, especially with younger drivers mixing into the established order.

Elsewhere, George Russell took a stunning pole position, narrowly beating Max Verstappen to the top spot, positioning Mercedes for a strong race day. As for Leclerc, the Canadian GP remains a chance to bounce back and collect crucial points for the championship chase.

The Montreal race gets underway Sunday afternoon, with strategy and early moves likely key to the final result.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.