Leclerc left feeling ashamed after Barcelona qualifying crash

It was a brutal end to a session that promised so much for Ferrari. Charles Leclerc looked like he had the pace to challenge for the top, but his ambition got the better of him during his first flying lap in Q3. A nasty snap of oversteer at Turn 4 sent the machine straight into the gravel and head-on into the barrier.

Thankfully, Leclerc walked away unharmed, but the incident brought out the red flag and left him stranded in P10 for Sunday's 66-lap race. The driver was blunt about the error, stating, "There's no excuses, it's a mistake." He noted that he had tried to carry more speed through the corner, only to find the dirtier part of the track and lose control of the car.

It is a difficult pill to swallow when you consider how strong the pace was. Leclerc had finished second in Q2, just half-a-tenth off the pace of George Russell, while Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton managed to secure the second fastest time, only 0.064s behind. Leclerc expressed genuine regret, admitting he felt "very ashamed" for the missed opportunity and for letting down those supporting the team.