Reuters2 Minute Read
Charles Leclerc triggered some issue when he reported a “cut” while leading Saturday’s Formula One sprint race in Baku, however the Ferrari driver later on clarified he was describing a cat.
Asked whether there had actually been any reoccurrence of what had actually seemed like an engine cutout, Leclerc informed press reporters: “Absolutely not. I said a cat — which is various.
“There was a cat in the middle of the roadway and the safety car needed to stop, however I believe I was most likely the only one who saw that. In the exit of Turn One there was a cat and the safety car braked.”
Leclerc, who began on lead, ended up second. Mexican Sergio Perez, the winner for Red Bull who was following Leclerc at the time, said he had actually not understood the cat.
The Baku street circuit snakes through the old town, with the track ringed with metal fences created more for safety than to stay out resident felines figured out to conquer any barrier.
Cats, feral or otherwise, have actually been an issue in the past at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with one captured on the tv feed darting throughout the track in front of Lewis Hamilton in 2016.
Formula One’s race in Turkey, now no longer on the calendar, had more of an issue with roaming dogs on track. In 2008 one was struck by Brazilian Bruno Senna’s car in a GP2 assistance race at Istanbul Park. Viewers of the Canadian Grand Prix are likewise utilized to seeing groundhogs making a dash for safety at Montreal’s island Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Leclerc, who begins on pole in Sunday’s race, said Ferrari have actually made a “advance” in Baku.
“It validates a bit what we believed: the Red Bull still has the upper hand in the race. But we, once again, need to not forget how far we lagged on race rate 2 races earlier,” he said.
“So we did an advance; we are still not where we wish to be. But, if winning is not possible then we simply require to take the optimum points. And today, there wasn’t anything more, so [I’m] happy with the 2nd location.
“And we will attempt, anyhow, to opt for the win tomorrow, despite the fact that the Red Bull appears to be quicker.”
Ferrari stopped working to win any points in the previous race in Australia, with a five-second charge benching Carlos Sainz benched from 4th to 12th, however they were determined then that development was being made.
Team manager Fred Vasseur said Saturday had actually supplied more proof of that.
“In Melbourne, we saw we had actually made development and I believe that up until now this weekend, that has actually likewise been verified here,” Vasseur said. “In certifying trim we were quicker than Red Bull and in the race we had the ability to combat with Perez and Verstappen, even if we saw there is still some work to do in regards to rate.”
