Charles Leclerc displayed visible frustration with his race engineer, Bryan Bozzi, during the Belgian GP Sprint held on Saturday, as tension rose over the race strategy. The Monegasque driver, competing in the Charles Leclerc Belgian GP Sprint, requested his engineer to stop offering suggestions and simply notify him when the final lap began.
Starting the Sprint from fourth place—the position he secured during Friday’s qualifying shootout—Leclerc was unable to improve his standing. He finished well behind the race winner, Max Verstappen, who dominated from pole position. Verstappen’s victory was followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who narrowly trailed the Dutch leader.
Ferrari’s Performance Falls Short Against McLaren and Red Bull
Despite signs of potential, Ferrari struggled to make a significant impact in the Sprint race, with Leclerc ending nearly ten seconds behind Verstappen. Meanwhile, the McLaren teammates showed stronger pace, finishing less than a second behind the leader. Leclerc’s margin over Esteban Ocon in the Haas was just three seconds, underscoring his dissatisfaction with the overall performance.
Leclerc’s frustration was audible over team radio during the Sprint when he interrupted Bozzi’s tactical input, stating:
“Bryan, just stop. Just tell me when it’s the last lap.”
This exchange revealed Leclerc’s preference to rely on his judgment rather than additional advice amid the challenging race conditions. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton also struggled, beginning his Sprint from eighteenth and finishing fifteenth, improving only slightly.
Post-Sprint Reflections on Ferrari’s Upgrades and Remaining Challenges
After the Sprint race, Leclerc commented on the effectiveness of Ferrari’s updates brought to the Belgian GP weekend. He acknowledged progress but also recognized that rivals like McLaren made improvements, limiting Ferrari’s advancement.
“The evolution has worked. McLaren has also made updates, so we are not getting close. However, the evolution has worked on our side, so that’s positive, but we need more to try to close the gap to McLaren.”
“The result is a bit disappointing, because I thought there could be something to do. But the top three managed their tires in the first three laps, and when they started pushing, there was a gap of four tenths per lap. That’s the best you can do,” he further added, via Canal+.
Up to this point in the season, after 12 races including three Sprint events, Leclerc sits fifth in the Drivers’ Championship with 124 points, ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, who holds sixth with 106 points. Ferrari remains second in the Constructors’ standings, accumulating 227 points.
Looking Ahead: Opportunities Still Open for Ferrari
Although Saturday’s Sprint proved frustrating, the weekend is not yet over for the Ferrari team. With Qualifying still to come on Saturday and the main race scheduled for Sunday, there is hope that Charles Leclerc and the team can improve their position and challenge the frontrunners. The tension from the Sprint may fuel greater focus as they aim to turn their fortunes around in the remaining stages of the Belgian GP weekend.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Charles Leclerc’s net worth? Charles Leclerc’s net worth has grown exponentially in recent years, but by 2025, his fortune is estimated to be around $50 million, according to sources such as Celebrity Net Worth and Planet F1.
A. Is Charles Leclerc a billionaire?
No, Charles Leclerc is not a billionaire. While he earns a high salary as a Formula 1 driver, his net worth does not reach a billion dollars.
Q. Does Charles Leclerc have a PhD?
A. Charles Leclerc pursued advanced studies in neuropsychology at Université de Montréal, following a clinician/scientist approach. His doctoral research studied how the brain reorganizes itself when there is little or no stimulation in certain areas. This work resulted in multiple scientific publications.
