Charles Leclerc Calls Ferrari 'Absolutely Embarrassing' Following Las Vegas Fiasco, with Hamilton Coming in Last in Qualifying

Table of Contents

• Leclerc's Frustration
• Hamilton's Struggles
• Team Performance Overview
• Hamilton's Response to Criticism
• Looking Ahead

CHARLES LECLERC criticized “absolutely embarrassing” Ferrari after qualifying in ninth place while Lewis Hamilton finished in last position.

The Monegasque driver expressed his frustration in an explicit outburst following another disappointing night for the team at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc was furious at the Las Vegas Grand PrixCredit: Shutterstock Editorial He and Lewis Hamilton both faced difficulties in another disappointing race for FerrariCredit: Getty

On his team radio during the cooldown lap, he said: “My god, this is embarrassing, absolutely embarrassing.”

“I can't understand how we can be so far off the pace. There’s virtually no grip, absolutely no grip.”

Hamilton faced a significant setback as he was eliminated in 20th place for the first time in his career while racing in the pouring rain of the Nevada desert.

A series of incidents impacted Hamilton’s performance, starting with a minor collision with the barriers that did not result in a red flag with just one minute remaining.

Then, Alex Albon had a more severe crash, hitting the wall but managed to return to the pit lane, which minimized the impact on the session.

Amid the chaos, Hamilton barely crossed the finish line to start another lap, only to find himself in last place. He subsequently abandoned his final attempt and was out of the qualifying session.

There appeared to be some confusion for Hamilton, as he asked over the team radio, “Was I safe?” implying he was not informed that he was outside the top 15.

He noticed a warning light on his dashboard, which he questioned, and although his engineer instructed him to “push” twice, he had already given up on that first sector.

Adding to the confusion, it was revealed after the session that Hamilton had driven over a cone that may have become lodged under his car, explaining the lack of performance at the end.

Leclerc managed to reach Q3 but triggered a yellow flag at the end after running wide at Turn 12.

This comes after comments from John Elkann, which stirred controversy for Ferrari as the Italian team experienced a double retirement.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton responded, expressing that he dreams about racing when questioned about Elkann's remarks.

When asked if it was fair for Elkann to make such comments and if he could concentrate more on racing, he replied: “Not really.”

“I wake up thinking about it, go to sleep thinking about it, and even dream about it.”

“If anything, I need to focus on being able to unplug more. It’s been an incredibly demanding year.”

After dropping to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, Ferrari is now behind other teams.

They finished as runners-up last year by a mere 14 points but are currently 394 points behind this year’s constructors’ champions with three races left in the season.

Hamilton joined the Italian team at the start of the year and has largely struggled to keep pace with Leclerc.

Hamilton, who unveiled a stunning City of Lights-themed helmet ahead of this weekend’s race, added: “I've spent more time at the factory than I ever have before.”

“There’s so much to do and learn. It’s certainly challenging when everyone is striving for something, and then you fall behind.”

Ferrari has dropped to fourth in the Constructors’ ChampionshipCredit: Getty They have a challenging road ahead to secure a podium finish in AmericaCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

“It feels like we’re climbing a mountain, but when the weekend arrives, we slip back down several steps and have to start all over again.”

“I constantly remind myself of my resilience. I’m fully committed to this team, and I believe in myself completely.”

“I know that when we get everything right, it will be incredible, and I can’t wait for that moment because I’m eager to see what you will write afterward.”

“I truly believe that will happen. I’m determined to keep my focus, even during these challenging times