Charles Leclerc’s retirement from the Monaco Grand Prix could trigger a significant technical change at Ferrari. While much of the attention surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s recent resurgence has focused on personnel and operational improvements, new comments from Charles Leclerc suggest there may also be an important technical factor behind the seven-time world champion’s progress.
Lewis Hamilton’s requests have been answered
“Vasseur has moved mountains for me.” With those words, Lewis Hamilton recently made it clear that several of his requests have been accommodated as Ferrari worked to restore his competitiveness after a challenging start to life with the Scuderia.
One of the most visible changes appeared to be on the engineering side, with Carlo Santi increasingly working alongside Lewis Hamilton and earning the nickname of the British driver’s “Italian Bono” during the Monaco weekend. However, Charles Leclerc’s comments after the race suggested there may be more to Lewis Hamilton’s recent improvements than just changes involving personnel.
According to the Ferrari driver, a technical difference may also be playing a role, particularly regarding the braking system that has become a major talking point following the Monaco Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc points to brake issues after Monaco crash
Charles Leclerc’s race ended dramatically when he crashed into the barriers at the Antony Noghès corner. Speaking to the media afterwards, the Monegasque driver did not accept full responsibility for the incident and instead drew attention to problems with the car’s braking system.
More interestingly, Charles Leclerc hinted that Ferrari may already have a solution available internally. He noted that Lewis Hamilton has been using a different configuration for several races, suggesting that an alternative setup is already being tested and successfully operated on the other side of the garage.
Those comments reportedly prompted a firm response from Brembo, Ferrari’s long-standing brake supplier and one of the most respected names in Formula 1 braking technology.
The Carbon Industries discs Lewis Hamilton has used since Suzuka
The solution highlighted by Charles Leclerc could be relatively straightforward. According to a report from Autoracer.it, Lewis Hamilton has been using Carbon Industries brake discs since the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
These are the same brake discs Lewis Hamilton became accustomed to during his highly successful years at Mercedes, where he developed a strong preference for their characteristics and braking feel. Driver confidence under braking is often a crucial factor in Formula 1, particularly on street circuits such as Monaco where precision and consistency are essential.
If the report is accurate, Charles Leclerc could now be considering the same option in an effort to eliminate the issues that have affected his confidence and performance. Such a change would not represent a complete departure from Ferrari’s current package, as the braking system would still remain predominantly supplied by Brembo.
Nevertheless, adopting the Carbon Industries discs already used by Lewis Hamilton could offer Charles Leclerc a valuable alternative as Ferrari looks to address the concerns that came to the surface during a frustrating Monaco Grand Prix weekend.
Leave a Reply