Riccardo Patrese defends Charles Leclerc: "Important for the tires to be at the right temperature"
09/25/2024 11:49 AM
Former Formula 1 driver Riccardo Patrese has spoken about Charles Leclerc’s recent performances, praising him for the work he is doing. The Italian driver certainly needs no introduction.
During his F1 career, he drove for many historic teams, including Alfa Romeo, Brabham, Williams, and Benetton. Known for his consistency and speed, despite not winning a drivers’ title during his time in the top tier. After the events of these two weekends, Riccardo Patrese spoke about Leclerc, offering positive comments despite some issues.
Speaking on Giorgio Terruzzi and Pino Allievi's podcast "A ruota libera," Riccardo Patrese touched on many of the most important topics from these two race weekends, starting with the missed victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to the Ferrari pit box error during Singapore qualifying session which compromised the Maranello team’s chances in the race at the Marina Bay street circuit.
On the topic of Singapore qualifying, Riccardo Patrese staunchly defended Charles Leclerc’s mistake, entering Q3 on cold tires. “I believe it’s very important for the tires to be at the right temperature when entering the track, one lap isn’t enough to warm them up,” responded the former F1 driver to Giorgio Terruzzi's question about Charles Leclerc’s chances of getting the tires into the right window.
When discussing Giorgio Leclerc's value, Riccardo Patrese sincerely admitted his admiration for the Ferrari driver. “I like him because he’s someone who always tries to give his best. He has often been criticized for mistakes made while trying to push the car’s limits. If you always have to drive at 101%, it’s obvious that mistakes will happen. He's lost races because he was trying to get more than what the car could offer. I also like him because, especially in qualifying, he always manages to find something special, particularly on street circuits where the driver can really make a difference.” – concluded the Italian former racing driver, who raced in Formula One from 1977 to 1993.
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