Rosberg ‘scared’ by SF1000’s behaviour in Leclerc crash
Charles-Leclerc-PA
Although Charles Leclerc has taken the blame for his Monza crash, Nico Rosberg believes it was the result of a “very, very difficult” Ferrari.
Leclerc crashed out of Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix when he lost the back end of his SF1000 through Parabolica.
Flying across the gravel, the Monégasque driver speared into the tyres barriers, his race over.
Thankfully he didn’t suffer any serious injuries, revealing he was just “a bit sore”.
Charles Leclerc just had a massive accident in the Parabolica – thankfully he's out and walking after this crash.
The race is red flagged due to damage to the barriers. #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/R4kDaIqhRd
— iGP Manager (@iGPManager) September 6, 2020
Speaking to the media after being released from the track’s medical centre, the driver took full responsibility for the accident.
“I just lost the car,” said Leclerc as he described the crash.
“It’s my fault. It was a very difficult race to be honest, then I thought we were unlucky with the Safety Car but we were lucky.
“With the hard tyres I struggled massively, I tried to push but lost it in Parabolica and crashed.
“It was just a mistake by my side, it was very difficult to drive prior to the crash but no excuses, it was my mistake.”
Rosberg, however, reckons it wasn’t entirely the driver’s fault as the SF1000 is “very, very difficult” to drive.
“Especially the behaviour of the car scared me,” he told RTL.
“He accelerated out of the corner, everything was under control and then suddenly he loses the rear of the car, catches it once, and then loses it again.
“The Ferrari seems very, very difficult to drive.”
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. @Charles_Leclerc after being in the medical center, everything is fine 🙏#ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/ntrjY2Onyr
— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) September 6, 2020
Asked if he would call the Ferrari ‘undriveable’, the 2016 World Champion replied: “That is exactly the word I have learned not to use anymore because otherwise I will be quoted again and it gets exaggerated.
“But the Ferrari is very difficult to drive.”
Leclerc’s DNF was Ferrari’s second of the day as earlier in the race Sebastian Vettel’s car suffered a brake failure.
The German went hurtling off the track and through the polystyrene blocks before limping back to the pits.
Without a single point for the second race in succession, Ferrari dropped to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship with just 61 points on the board.
Mercedes is leading the race with 281 points.
Hear what the PF1 team think of Gasly’s win, McLaren’s revival and reverse grids in the latest episode of Torquing Point!
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