Leclerc hits back at Verstappen comments: "He has no clue"
F1 News
- Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
Young F1 star Charles Leclerc has hit back at Max Verstappen after the Dutchman suggested Ferrari losing pace in the United States Grand Prix was because they "stopped cheating".
Leclerc started and finished the race at the Circuit of the Americas in fourth place, with the Monegasque's race pace being nowhere near either Aston Martin Red Bull Racing or Mercedes on Sunday.
This drop-off in pace compared to previous races, where Ferrari were always in contention for the win, coincidentally came after Red Bull asked the FIA to recite the rules regarding fuel flow to the engine, with the Bulls reportedly suspicious of Ferrari's system on that front.
Although the Austrian side filed no official complaint to the FIA, meaning no official investigation was launched, Ferrari suddenly were much slower at COTA compared to previous weeks, particularly on the straights. Verstappen claimed "that's what happens when you stop cheating," suggesting the Scuderia have not been running a legal power unit. Leclerc brushed these remarks off.
"I think it’s a joke to be completely honest," he was quoted by F1 journalist Phillip Horton.
"He has no clue. He’s not in the team. So we know exactly what we are doing and I don’t know why he’s speaking, he doesn’t know anything about us."
The other Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel ended its race after just nine laps, with the German's suspension suddenly snapping, forcing him to retire from the Grand Prix.