Why did Charles Leclerc retire from the Bahrain GP 2023?

The Italian team's battle for reliability didn't end in the 2023 season opener.


Why did Charles Leclerc retire from the Bahrain GP 2023?

Charles after retiring (Credits: F1 )

Charles Leclerc‘s dreams of a great start to the 2023 Formula One season were crushed when his Ferrari suffered an engine failure and forced him to retire on Lap 41 of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Leclerc, who qualified third, chose not to complete a second run in order to keep his fresh tyres for the race’s start. The strategy paid off as he quickly passed Sergio Perez at the start of the race.

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Sergio overtook Leclerc, who was running on slower hard compound tyres, after his second stint on soft tyres. Charles was positioned in the third place when his engine failed on lap 41, forcing him to retire.

Ferrari’s reliability difficulties from the previous season appear to have continued over, as Leclerc’s retirement delivered a significant blow to the team’s title hopes. Ferrari had been working hard to fix last year’s reliability issues, and they were hoping for a better performance in 2023.

As he came to a halt by the side of the track, Leclerc’s sadness could be heard over the radio. “No, no, no! No power! “He exclaimed. The retirement was a cruel blow for Leclerc, who had shown promising form throughout the weekend.

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Alonso passes Sainz for third place
Alonso passes Sainz for third place (Credits: F1)

The Italian team was devastated by Leclerc’s retirement, especially after his outstanding qualifying performance. The team and fans alike had high expectations for the season opener and planned to get off to a strong start. Ferrari battled reliability issues in 2022 and has worked hard to fix them for 2023 but failed to do for the season opener.

After Leclerc’s retirement, the Ferrari team’s podium dreams were dashed when the other remaining Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, who was running third, got overtaken by his countryman and mentor, Fernando Alonso. In a remarkable duel through Sector 2, Alonso overtook Sainz on Lap 45 to secure his first podium since Qatar 2021.

Meanwhile, Red Bull secured a 1-2 finish, with Max Verstappen taking the top step of the podium and teammate Sergio Perez earning the P2. The victory was a remarkable turnaround for the team, who had suffered a double DNF at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix. It remains to be seen how Ferrari will address their reliability issues going forward.

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