Charles Leclerc explains Ferrari’s wet-weather nightmare in Las Vegas GP qualifying
Charles Leclerc is frustrated by Ferrari's long-standing struggles in wet conditions
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc lamented Ferrari's struggles during the rain-soaked Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying, claiming that wet conditions have been something he has struggled with since joining the Maranello outfit.
The Monegasque driver will start the race in ninth, and his team-mate Lewis Hamilton will start from 20th.
"Unfortunately, yes," Leclerc said when asked if he was expecting qualifying to be as difficult as it was. "Our car has been, unfortunately, since I'm in Ferrari, that we are struggling massively in the wet. We don't quite find the solution.
"It's not a fault that we are not trying [to fix], because we've been trying like crazy, but it just doesn't work. And it's very, very frustrating, because it's been probably my biggest strength in the junior categories coming up, and we are just struggling like crazy whenever it's wet. The tyres don't switch on, and we just have very, very poor grip."
He added: "I don't think it's only [tyre warm-up related], because we've been trying things on the tyre warm-up as well in the past, and it didn't work, so it's frustrating."
The wet weather left the drivers battling against poor visibility and poor grip, especially during Q1.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
"Not nice, not nice," the Ferrari driver said of the conditions. "Especially when our car is... It's very, very difficult to drive. Plus, here in Vegas on a street track, by night, cold conditions, wet conditions, everything is adding up for it to be a very difficult qualifying session. But, yeah, it's the way it is."
2026 will introduce a new wave of regulations to the championship. With two race weekends remaining after Las Vegas, Leclerc confirmed he will not miss the SF-25.
"I mean, we're fighting for third or maybe second, but honestly, second is going to be difficult for the constructors' [championship]. What I want to do is to be fighting for wins, so surely it's not a car I will miss."
Photos from Las Vegas GP - Practice and Qualifying
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