Charles Leclerc loses cool in foul-mouthed radio rant at British Grand Prix
The Ferrari driver had earlier in the day been the quickest on track in the final practice session and was a contender for pole position at Silverstone
But the Monegasque could only record the sixth-quickest time in Q3, triggering a foul-mouthed rant over radio.
'F*** that,' he said. 'I am so f****** s***. So f****** s*** I am. I am so f****** s***. That's all I am.'
Leclerc's teammate Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth-fastest, while Max Verstappen put his Red Bull on pole ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
In the media pen afterwards, Leclerc acknowledged that his qualifying displays have been under-par so far this season.
'I'm not doing the job,' Leclerc said. 'I think since the beginning of the season, I've been performing very well in the races.
'Looking back at races, there are actually not many races where I will go back to change something that I've done inside the car.
'Unfortunately, when I look back at qualifying — which used to be my strength — there are many qualifying(s) where I would like to go back and to change something, because every time I get to Q3, for some reason, it's not clicking at the moment.
'We've had good qualifying(s), but we didn't have great qualifying(s). And again, this used to be my strength, so I'm not happy with the level that I'm showing in qualifying.
'We've got issues for sure, particularly today from Q2 onwards. We were a bit fighting with something inside the car, but it's not an excuse. I need to be better.'
The British Grand Prix starts at 3pm (BST) on Sunday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sonay Kartal: The unlikely heroine flying the flag for Britain
With 14 tattoos, a retro range of baggy Adidas clothes, and a childhood spent around her parents' kebab shop while struggling to afford tennis coaching, the sense that Sonay Kartal's Wimbledon fairy tale could reach far beyond a traditional tennis fanbase is obvious. We also now know that it was almost over before it started, with Kartal revealing ahead of her big Centre Court debut on Sunday how her baby steps in tennis – at the Pavilion & Avenue club in Brighton – became tinged with fear and anxiety. Advertisement 'We used to do this thing called the lines game, it's a little warm-up,' she said. 'They'd shout, 'service line', and all the kids had to run to the service line. That was always the first game and I was too shy for three months to actually come on court. My coach Julie [Hobbs] finally managed to get me to do it. I tried to run to the outside tramline, tripped over, burst into tears. Off I went, and I didn't come back for a couple of months.' It is a story that plenty of parents and children will relate to, with Hobbs, a former British No 1, eventually coaxing her back to the sport. Fast forward 17 years and you did not need long around a packed Court 16 on Saturday to feel the impact that Kartal is having. Fresh from three brilliant singles wins, she was in doubles action alongside her friend Jodie Burrage in front of a distinctly youthful audience. Kartal has attracted a youthful following after a successful first week at Wimbledon - Getty Images/Rob Newell Kartal, who is now 23 and the last remaining British woman in the singles draw, hopes that her story can particularly inspire girls who are shy about sport. Advertisement 'My coach has a daughter and she was super shy, got into tennis and has changed like a completely different person,' she said. 'She's got so much more personality, she's so much more talkative.' And is playing sport becoming cooler for girls? 'I think it's changing,' she says. 'I think now a lot of girls are getting more comfortable with having more muscle on their body. I think that's turning, which is obviously incredible. 'I don't think anyone should feel like girls have to look a certain way. I think that's changing in tennis as well. You look at the tennis players, everyone's all different physiques and sizes and heights. So, it's definitely getting more versatile. If I can inspire kids, whether that's boys or girls, then I'm obviously doing something good.' Kartal played football and cricket at a similar level to her tennis until she was 13 and is a self-confessed sports lover. 'I was a little bit of a tomboy and super sporty,' she said. 'I loved football. My school actually used to have a lot of girls football and I used to go to my local park with my dad. In cricket I was always the batter and just launching [the ball] as far as I could.' Saturday's doubles might not have gone to plan – Kartal and Burrage were beaten in straight sets – but her partner could sense the buzz. Kartal had been informed that she would be first up on Centre Court at 1.30pm on Sunday against the Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova just before stepping on court with Burrage. Advertisement 'Her story shows there's not one way to do what we do – but multiple ways,' said Burrage. 'She has done incredible – and she is going to go a lot higher. For everyone out there, regardless of where you are from, you can do it if you put your mind to it – especially like this chick here. That's the moral of this story.' Kartal's ranking has risen from 864 in 2022 to the world's top 50 – she will overtake Emma Raducanu as the British No 2 once Wimbledon is done and dusted – and Burrage clearly does not think the story will end against Pavlyuchenkova. 'I've got full belief,' she said. Kartal goes into the match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in confident mood - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph There certainly seems little chance of the attention going to Kartal's head. She was six when she made that first trip to a tennis club following an invitation from a tennis official who had eaten at one of her father's two Turkish restaurants. And, while she was competitive against players like Emma Raducana through the British junior rankings, has largely progressed in senior tennis away from the limelight. Advertisement Kartal's social media remains largely fixated with animals or food and, perhaps most telling of all, she has resisted inevitable pressure to change a coaching team that, as well as Hobbs, also still includes Ben and Martin Reeves from her original club in Brighton. 'I was hearing people saying, you know, 'Do you think you should get a coach that has already done that?' But I didn't want that. If I can have a coach that can take me from a six-year-old to the WTA Tour, I think that's obviously good enough. We just learned together. It's kind of doing this crazy thing together. Kartal did find herself being recognised during a 'tricky' trip to the shops near Wimbledon on Friday night and her phone has been flooded with suggestions for her next tattoo. They have included one of Centre Court itself, a vintage polo shirt in recognition of her distinctive Adidas playing top and, from Burrage, an image of fire and ice. 'I actually like that,' she said. Among other things, Kartal is known for her tattoos - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph Fans are now suggesting what tattoo Kartal gets next - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph She has, until now, remained a member of the same no-thrills High Street gym in Brighton, although wonders if she may now have to review that arrangement. 'It was getting a bit tricky prior [to Wimbledon]. But to be honest they were actually pretty respectful there [at the gym]. They would just say hello and then just let me get on with it. So maybe I'll have to test that when I'm back. I go to the gym and just kind of have a bit of 'me time', stick my headphones in and just forget about the world. Advertisement 'People think I don't like [being in the spotlight], because I have gone under the radar my whole life but I don't have an issue with being in the spotlight or not being in the spotlight. I'll take it as a compliment.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
San Francisco Chronicle
36 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Max Verstappen starts on pole for Formula 1's British Grand Prix, with title rivals behind
SILVERSTONE, England (AP) — Max Verstappen has pole position for the British Grand Prix but the reigning Formula 1 champion will have title rivals Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris close behind in Sunday's race. Red Bull's Verstappen had struggled in practice but found extra pace in Saturday's qualifying session to take pole ahead of McLaren's Piastri and Norris, who both made small but costly mistakes. It could be a hectic fight for the win with Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari all showing strong pace in qualifying, with the top six cars covered by just 0.229 of a second. There's also a chance of rain during the race, which could upend everyone's strategy. The leading contenders are using contrasting setups which mean different strengths and weaknesses at various points on the track. Verstappen's car in particular sacrifices grip through the corners for top speed on the straights. Piastri leads the standings by 15 points from Norris, the winner of last week's Austrian Grand Prix, with Verstappen a distant third, 61 points off the lead. ___
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool and Everton's relationship is stronger than ever
Liverpool and Everton are historic rivals, splitting the population of the city and the surrounding areas into two camps. The pair of clubs have one of the best derbies in the football calendar. At times things can get feisty, such as what unfolded at Goodison Park's last derby matches last season, when a 2-2 draw resulted from the contest which included a controversial equaliser. Advertisement Hatred between the two fanbases is probably too harsh a term, but there is certainly dislike and those on each side have at the very least a dislike towards the other, and a desire to win at all costs. But at the heart of the beautiful game is mutual respect for each other's efforts on the pitch and no one would ever wise harm on the other. There is a line that cannot be crossed and that is it. So while genuine common decency should be expected from anyone, we cannot ignore how incredibly kind Everton Football Club have been regarding the Diogo Jota situation recently. Club officials made their way to Anfield on Friday to place flowers down at a temporary memorial site for the late Portuguese striker and they spent time paying their respects to him. In distressing times of tragedy, rivalries go out of the window and everyone must stick together. Advertisement Regardless of your affiliation, the lives of two human beings were lost this week, and they must be celebrated for what they were - fierce competitors who gave their all in a respectful manner. One Everton fan was pictured making their way to Anfield in a Blue shirt, and to some it suggested point scoring as if someone from the other side of the city deserved praise for putting allegiances aside to celebrate Jota's life. Of course, the act would have been no less kind if they were to have worn a more neutral colour, but still the sentiment of the decision to pay their respects remains. So by no means am I suggesting we should claim that Everton have done anything extraordinary, but it is particularly nice to see two clubs that are normally directly against each other, begin able to support one another in a time of need, showing empathy and kindness to each other. In truth, it has always been this way. If another team is celebrating a former player's life, then the Reds will never shy away from doing the right thing and joining in. But that isn't always a given in modern society, when you've got divisive political issues on what should be basic things. Advertisement Racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia still exists across the world despite our best wishes. So I think it's fair to say that Everton deserve credit for doing the right thing, even if it was expected. The relationship between the two clubs is a strong and incredibly respectful one. Jota's last goal for Liverpool was in the derby match at Anfield last season and it was pivotal to our Premier League title hopes. In spite of that, there is no ill will between either club or with the player. In true competitive spirit, each side gives their all to win and off the field, you accept that you gave it your best shot, you leave any issues on the field and you respect your opponent for their efforts. Advertisement Liverpool and Everton may have a rivalry, but there's a time and a place for it.
