Martin Brundle predicts some “tense meetings” at Ferrari

Sky F1 expert Martin Brundle believes there will be some “tense meetings” at Ferrari after the bittersweet Monaco Grand Prix.

While Ferrari was in the mix all weekend in Monte Carlo at the end of the timesheets and Carlos Sainz clinched his first podium in Scuderia red, there was still one big case of what could have been the heartbreaking end of Charles Leclerc’s weekend.

While Leclerc secured pole position for his home Grand Prix, he did so with a late fall at the exit of the swimming pool and the timing ensured that no one could oust him from first place in a matter of seconds in the third quarter.

However, Leclerc’s pole position celebrations were particularly subdued as there were concerns about the need to change the gearbox due to the effects of the accident. That would have led to a lattice penalty.

Ferrari gave not one but two all-clears about the gearbox, but on the way to the grid, Leclerc noticed a problem and it was a game for him that he was forced to watch from the sidelines.

However, the problem was related to the left driveshaft and there was initial confusion as to whether this problem was related to the Leclerc qualification accident. On Monday evening, Ferrari confirmed that the two events are related.

According to Brundle, this will lead to some tense debriefing as the team investigates whether the car has been fully checked.

Heartbreaking pic.twitter.com/8Mk5FtJKXy

– Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) May 23, 2021

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“This was an opportunity for the young Monegasque to win his Grand Prix in a Ferrari on the very streets that he took the bus to school,” wrote Brundle in his Sky F1 column.

“He would have been seriously injured on Monday morning, especially since he can never know if and when such an opportunity will arise again.

“A large part of the Ferrari hierarchy was present because Leclerc’s car failed on its out lap on the grid. This week there will be exciting meetings about the decision-making process and how the problem was overlooked before the race.

“Almost always when a car hits the barriers pretty hard, especially at a 90-degree angle over the rear axle, it needs a new transmission and the resulting five-digit waste of the grille.

“Ferrari rolled the dice by not changing the entire drivetrain and losing it. It seems that something on the left was also damaged by the heavy contact on the right. “

While there is plenty of doom and darkness on Leclerc’s side of the garage, Brundle liked what he saw of Sainz as he took on the challenge of saving something from the weekend for his new team.

He continued: “Carlos Sainz carried all the expectations of Ferrari on his shoulders and, despite some problems with the tire grain, delivered a very well-engineered second place nine seconds behind Verstappen.

“The young Spaniard was consistently in shape and deserved this fame, even though he felt this was a missed opportunity for pole position and victory. I like that mentality. “

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