Charles Leclerc

Leclerc was on for good points and a podium finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but with just 17 laps to go the Ferrari star was forced to pull over as his ...

[Pierre Gasly](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/pierre-gasly) finished ninth on his [Alpine](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/alpine-f1) debut despite starting dead last, while [Alex Albon](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/alexander-albon) rounded off the top 10 to secure a valuable point for [Williams](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/williams-f1). [Sergio Perez](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/sergio-perez) crossed the line second, though he was some way behind his team-mate and miles ahead of Alonso. [Carlos Sainz](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/carlos-sainz) inherited third place, but it was not guaranteed. [Lewis Hamilton](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/lewis-hamilton) managed fifth place ahead of [Lance Stroll](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/lance-stroll) in sixth, who got the better of the other Mercedes driver [George Russell](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/george-russell). [Valtteri Bottas](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/valtteri-bottas) started the season by driving his [Alfa Romeo](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/alfa-romeo-f1) to eighth place. Suddenly, he was forced to pull over at the side of the track as he suffered mechanical problems. And there was no stopping Alonso after that. Replays appeared to show that his engine died as he attempted to go around a corner. No power!" The two The disappointment in his voice was obvious as he spoke over the radio as he parked his car at the side of the track. [Charles Leclerc](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/charles-leclerc) was clearly gutted as his engine failed while he was pushing for a podium in the [Bahrain Grand Prix](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/bahrain-grand-prix).

Charles Leclerc suffered a devastating start to the 2023 F1 season after retiring while in third place. The Ferrari driver ended the Bahrain Grand Prix ...

The 25-year-old endured a tough season in 2022 with the Ferrari lacking the reliability to compete with Red Bull. [Charles Leclerc](/topic/charles-leclerc) suffered a devastating start to the 2023 [F1](/topic/f1) season after retiring while in third place. The Ferrari driver endured a heartbreaking start to the 2023 season

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has already moved onto a fresh engine component on his car, following concerns from the team overnight.

While Ferrari have had to change that engine component on Leclerc’s car, Red Bull have also had to make changes under parc ferme. However, we need to keep in our mind that in the race run we seem to be a little bit on the back foot compared to Red Bull. And I think we are in a better place starting third with new tyres than starting first with old, or a bit further up [than third].

CHARLES LECLERC suffered misery at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, when he was forced to quit because of engine trouble.The Monégasque driver, 25,

Congo [@Carlossainz55](https://twitter.com/Carlossainz55) For P4!." I feel sad for Charles Leclerc." While a third posted: "Ferrari doing what they do best. One wrote: "Ferrari is like the grandad of the sport who still wants to run around but it's body doesn't support! It's hard to be a Ferrari fan! No power!"

The Monegasque driver is hoping to threaten Max Verstappen for the drivers' championship title this season, so this will not be the start to the season the ...

Reliability was once more a problem for Ferrari as Charles Leclerc retired from a podium position in Bahrain.

Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from the F1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix with a suspected power unit issue.

“Red Bull seems to have found something really big during the race pace. In terms of qualy pace, they are actually pretty similar to us or at least we managed to extract the lap time yesterday, but then we come to the race and we are a second every lap off the pace, which is huge. Asked about his race before retiring, he said: "I mean, as confident as I can be being a second off the pace, which is not really confident to be honest.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc will use a new energy store in his power unit for the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix.

The energy store is one of six components within a power unit. He did not incur a penalty, but in opting to take a new energy store he has used up 50 percent of his allocation for the year. [Charles Leclerc](https://www.crash.net/f1/racer/889402/charles-leclerc) used a new energy store in his power unit for the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc has ruled out Ferrari's tyre tactics in Bahrain being a “game changer” in Sunday's grand prix given the pace of the Red Bull RB19.

If not, we’ll try and get the maximum points.” “The goal is to always try and improve,” he said. But again, realistically, they seem to be very, very quick. But yeah, let’s wait and see.” “So I think in those weekends where we are a little bit underneath, that’s exactly those weekend that we need to maximise and, and try to get what we can in terms of points. “I think we improved our process of…throughout the race trying to take care more of these tyres but if I look in FP2 we are still quite a bit slower than Red Bull in terms of pace and tyre degradation.

A despondent Charles Leclerc admitted that Ferrari are nowhere near Red Bull after Max Verstappen cruised to victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

I had a great start, but that’s not enough to make me happy after this race.’ I don’t know if it is related to the issues we had this morning. [Jenson Button explains why Lewis Hamilton will bounce back in 2023](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/03/f1-jenson-button-explains-why-lewis-hamilton-will-bounce-back-in-2023-18324604/?ico=more_text_links) [‘Unreal!’ – Fernando Alonso claims shock podium as Max Verstappen wins Bahrain Grand Prix](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/05/bahrain-gp-fernando-alonso-on-podium-as-max-verstappen-wins-f1-opener-18389092/?ico=more_text_links) [Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso claiming a remarkable third](https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/05/bahrain-gp-fernando-alonso-on-podium-as-max-verstappen-wins-f1-opener-18389092/). [Charles Leclerc](https://metro.co.uk/tag/charles-leclerc/?ico=auto_link_sport_P1_LNK1) admitted that Ferrari are nowhere near Red Bull after [Max Verstappen](https://metro.co.uk/tag/max-verstappen/?ico=auto_link_sport_P1_LNK2) cruised to victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

New season, but fresh troubles for Ferrari as Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from a podium position at the Bahrain GP.

Asked by PlanetF1.com if the original Energy Store is still in his pool, Leclerc replied: “I don’t know anything for now to be honest. “Red Bull seems to have found something really big during the race pace. In terms of qualy pace, they are actually pretty similar to us or at least we managed to extract the lap time yesterday, but then we come to the race and we are a second every lap off the pace, which is huge. Asked if he was feeling confident out on track in that Ferrari before the retirement, Leclerc replied: “I mean, as confident as I can be being a second off the pace, which is not really confident to be honest. While Leclerc looked to be heading rather comfortably to a P3 finish, he stressed that he could not be feeling too comfortable when he was “a second off the pace” of Red Bull, and so now feels that Ferrari has a lot of work ahead. Leclerc then started P3 and was running there comfortably come Lap 41 of the race, that was until the Ferrari SF-23 decided that it had had enough.

Leclerc will start Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix from third on the grid, just behind the two Red Bulls, but the Monegasque has become the first driver to be ...

Leclerc was forced to retire from the Bahrain Grand Prix with just 17 laps to go when, without warning the engine on his Ferrari completely died and ...

[Charles Leclerc](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/charles-leclerc) was a very unhappy man as he reacted to his failure to finish the [Bahrain Grand Prix](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/bahrain-grand-prix). And when given a scale of one to 10 from which to choose what his mood was like, he replied: "Zero." Even without that DNF, he knew the Red Bulls were just too quick. His groan over team radio as he did so told the full story. That said, he was miles away from anyone else with [Fernando Alonso](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/fernando-alonso) finishing third, after getting the better of fellow Spaniard [Carlos Sainz](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/carlos-sainz) in the late stages of the race. [Max Verstappen](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/max-verstappen) started on pole, got a good launch and never looked back as he raced off into the sunset, winning the race comfortably.