For Leclerc it was the third failure of the current season.
– Spanish Grand Prix, May 22nd: Leclerc retires on lap 27 with engine failure. Verstappen wins.
– Azerbaijan Grand Prix, June 12: Leclerc retires on lap 21 with engine failure. Verstappen wins.
– And now the French Grand Prix, July 24th: Leclerc is eliminated on lap 18. Verstappen wins.
And the Dutchman pulls away in the title race. Current status: Verstappen 233 points, Leclerc as the closest pursuer 170. “I’m losing too many points,” Leclerc admitted to “Sky”. Because in addition to the failures, there are also mistakes in the races. “In Imola it was 7 (Leclerc had spun while in 3rd place, ended up in 6th place and only got 8 points instead of 15, ed.), here now 25, because I really think we’re today had the strongest car on the track, so if I don’t win the title in the end because of 32 points, then I know why.”
Even Verstappen admitted on Sunday evening: His world championship lead “is greater than it should be” – thanks to Ferrari’s kind intervention. Next weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc and the Scuderia can make amends and make the fight for the world championship more open again. Or not.