Canadian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton car ‘undriveable’ and Charles Leclerc penalised after Max Verstappen sets pace
- Leclerc faces substantial grid penalty in Montreal, while Hamilton says his car is ‘getting worse’
- China’s Zhou Guanyu was 16th in practice as world champion Verstappen, who will start his 150th Formula One race, set the pace
Soon after finishing second behind series leader and world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull in second practice at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Friday, Ferrari said they would be fitting new electronic control components to Leclerc’s power unit.
The 24-year-old Monegasque has suffered two engine failures this year and the new parts will mean he exceeds the limit and will face a penalty of at least 10 places.
The team may consider giving him a complete new power unit. Leclerc has slipped from leading the title race to third behind Verstappen and Sergio Perez, despite taking four consecutive pole positions.
Also struggling was seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who declared his Mercedes car “undriveable” and “getting worse”, before later dismissing any hope that it would improve before next year.
