107 replies to this topic

[WonderWoman61]

Leclerc is just suffering from Ferrari's inability to maintain their early-season advantage as the season progresses. It's been a problem for the Prancing Horse pretty much since the Alonso-era.

[Michael Ferner]

Actually, Ferrari have maintained their early season advantage. They're still the fastest car out there, just like Bahrain.

[WonderWoman61]

Actually, Ferrari have maintained their early season advantage. They're still the fastest car out there, just like Bahrain.

They're just not making the most of it.

[FortiFord]

ALonso some mistakes in 2010:

 

*Jump start in China.

*Crashing in Monaco.

*Crashing with Barrichello in Spa.

 

The Monaco crash was FP.

 

Barrichello crashed into the back of Alonso at Spa. Alonso was one of the few drivers to actually make the corner. 

[FortiFord]

As for the OP, Hakkinen did make a couple of unforgiveable unforced errors in 99 when leading comfortably (though Mika has said that in Imola 99 he was pushing because of running a different strategy to MS). These mistakes tend to be remembered, but it's also worth noting that Hakkinen had some horrible luck in Silverstone, Austria and Hockenheim which all should've been straight forward wins. Also worth noting that Schumacher made a similar unforgiveable error in Canada. 

 

So clearly there's some similarities to Leclerc this season so far. Leclerc has made 2 significant errors, but at the same time that has been mixed in with some poor reliability and strategy. Verstappen has made 1 significant error but he's also had bad luck and similarly poor reliability. 

[CaptHaddock91]

That’s off topic, but Alonso’s mistake in FPs at Monaco meant he had to start last, so that was very costly, and in Spa he crashed out by himself (his race was already compromised due to Barrichello crashing on him though).

Back on topic, I think Leclerc’s situation is more similar to Vettel’s in 2017 and 2018 than to Hakkinen’s 1999 mistakes. In that case, Mika always had the fastest car and was not under pressure by his rivals (if I am not mistaken, he was comfortably leading both in Imola and Monza), so his mistakes were due to concentration lapses. Leclerc instead cracked under pressure, a bit like Vettel did at Hockenheim 2018. Ferrari’s pit wall mistakes and lack of reliability of course don’t help, as Leclerc is way more behind in the championship than he should be.

[Oho]

Back on topic, I think Leclerc’s situation is more similar to Vettel’s in 2017 and 2018 than to Hakkinen’s 1999 mistakes. In that case, Mika always had the fastest car and was not under pressure by his rivals (if I am not mistaken, he was comfortably leading both in Imola and Monza), so his mistakes were due to concentration lapses..

 

Monza yes, Imola he was on different strategy but I think still it was going to plan. Monza was just silly mistake, in Imola he went slightly wide and lost it when, sorry, left rear got caught at the edge of tarmac, Rosberg said Hakkinen was slightly distracted for looking at the pit board as he was on schedule to build gap against Schumacher...   

 

If McLaren was the fastest car in 1999 it was not by much and certainly not always.

Edited by Oho, 29 July 2022 - 19:00.

[WonderWoman61]

I'm inclined to compare Leclerc this year to Hamilton AND Massa in 08. Now's there's making heavy weather of a title fight for you.