Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari during qualifying for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on June 13, hitting the tyre barrier in the final phase of the session [1, 2]. The 28-year-old driver will start 10th on Sunday after the incident [1, 2].
This marks Leclerc’s second consecutive weekend crashing in qualifying, following his crash last weekend at his home Monaco Grand Prix where he clipped the wall in qualifying and also crashed during the race [1, 2]. Reflecting on the Barcelona crash, Leclerc said, "I just feel very much ashamed to be here after a crash like that" and admitted he had released the brakes too early trying to carry speed but ultimately made a driver error that caused the accident [1].
Leclerc dismissed suggestions that the crash was linked to his change of brake discs to the same brand as teammate Lewis Hamilton, saying “there’s no excuses” and that the mistake was entirely his own [1, 2]. He added, “The feeling with the car was amazing and I didn't deliver. If anything, it’s a lot worse than that; I put it into the wall.”
Lewis Hamilton qualified on the front row alongside fellow Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, who secured pole and third positions respectively [1, 2]. Hamilton described their qualifying pace as "the closest we’ve been pace-wise, I think, in quali" since he joined Ferrari last season and expressed gratitude to his team for the performance [1]. He said he took time between final practice and qualifying to clear his head in his motorhome to focus ahead of the session [1].
Leclerc is scheduled to start 10th in Sunday’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix race on June 14 [1, 2].