Spanish Grand Prix: Two Drivers Confirmed To Start From Pit Lane After Difficult Saturday
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is slated to kick off the Spanish Grand Prix from the pit lane. The Italian racing powerhouse confirmed this strategic development to F1 journalist Luke Smith this morning, after the Monegasque had a terrible time during qualifying yesterday.
The decision by Ferrari to move Leclerc's starting position is not a random one. It's a calculated manoeuvre, giving the team an opportunity to swap out the gearbox and rear end of the car to hopefully repair the issue that plagued yesterday's session. With Leclerc starting from 19th on the grid anyway, it seems like a safe decision to make today.
"We've taken the opportunity to change the gearbox, that's effectively all the backend, really to make sure there's nothing on there that is untoward," Smith posted to Twitter.
Post-qualifying, Leclerc had a strong suspicion that his car was not performing up to par. He noticed a stark difference in how his car behaved compared to the free practice sessions, with left turns being "undriveable".
Although this move might seem like a setback, considering the low qualifying position, the overall impact on Leclerc's race isn't as dramatic as one might think. Sure, he'll be starting from the pit lane, but it's a move to avoid any technical snags that might further affect his run. And knowing the talented driver, he'll be able to push himself up into the points.
While all eyes will be on Leclerc to see how this pans out, it's worth mentioning that his teammate Carlos Sainz had a much better run. Sainz placed his SF-23 in P2, making it a mixed bag of a day for the Ferrari team.
Alongside Leclerc, Williams has confirmed that Logan Sargeant will be starting in the pitlane also, after changes to his suspension setup and brake cooling.