Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari could have fought McLaren for victory in the Chinese Grand Prix had it not been for his broken front wing.
The Monegasque driver lost the left-front endplate of his SF-25 in first-lap contact with his team-mate, Lewis Hamilton.
Despite the damage, Leclerc opted not to pit for a replacement, continuing the race with the compromised aerodynamics.
His pace remained strong, with Hamilton even allowing him to pass at one stage. Ultimately, Leclerc crossed the line in fifth place.
However, Ferrari’s troubles deepened after the race when the team replaced Leclerc’s broken front wing before FIA scrutineering.
During the mandatory checks, his car was found to be underweight, leading to his disqualification.
Hamilton suffered a similar fate, with his Mercedes failing to meet the minimum skid block thickness, resulting in his own DSQ.
The double disqualification marked a historic low for Ferrari, as it was the first time in the team’s 75-year history that both of its cars were excluded from a race result.
Reflecting on the outcome, Leclerc expressed frustration, believing the car had much more potential had it remained intact.
“I made a step with the car, and there was a lot of potential but I was destroying the fronts and had 30 points less downforce, which is a huge amount,” Leclerc told media.
“I honestly think we had the pace to fight with the guys in front, and when I mean the front, I mean the McLarens, Lewis showed it [in the sprint].
“I didn’t do a good job in qualifying, but I was looking forward to the race, but unfortunately we couldn’t use the full potential of the car.”
