Charles Leclerc’s brake problems have become one of the biggest talking points inside Ferrari following the Monaco Grand Prix, but Jean Alesi believes the root cause may be more complex than a simple hardware issue.
The Ferrari driver has been struggling with braking-related concerns over the last two races, and after his Monaco retirement he openly expressed his frustration, suggesting that a solution already exists within the team.
Charles Leclerc points to Lewis Hamilton’s setup
“It’s not my fault, we already have the solution in-house, Lewis Hamilton has been using it for three races and that’s what I’ll do as well.”
Those were the comments made by Charles Leclerc after the incident at Antony Noghès that ended his Monaco Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver made it clear that he believes the braking issues that have troubled him recently played a role in the accident.
His remarks quickly sparked debate throughout the Formula 1 paddock. Shortly afterwards, Brembo released an official statement in response to the comments, while attention also shifted toward the different brake configuration being used by Lewis Hamilton.
The seven-time world champion recently received approval to use Carbon Industries brake discs, a component he became familiar with during his years at Mercedes. Despite that change, the overall braking system on the Ferrari remains predominantly supplied by Brembo.
Jean Alesi suspects a deeper technical issue
Former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi, however, is not convinced that Charles Leclerc’s difficulties are simply related to brake discs or pads.
Speaking in his regular analysis for the latest edition of Il Corriere della Sera, Jean Alesi suggested that the issue may actually be linked to the complex systems that operate during the braking phase in modern Formula 1 cars: “When Charles talks about the brakes, I don’t think he is referring specifically to the disc or the pad. I believe he is talking about a technical issue that occurs under braking, when these Formula 1 cars are recharging their batteries,” Jean Alesi explained.
The Frenchman went on to suggest that the problem could be connected to the software responsible for managing those energy-recovery phases: “I think it is a problem with the software that controls these processes. It needs to be solved quickly because Charles Leclerc has been struggling with this issue since the Canadian Grand Prix,” Jean Alesi added.
Ferrari searching for answers
If Jean Alesi’s assessment proves accurate, Ferrari’s challenge may be more complicated than simply switching components. While the adoption of Lewis Hamilton’s preferred Carbon Industries brake discs could potentially improve driver confidence and feel under braking, it may not completely eliminate the underlying issue.
As Ferrari continues its investigation, the focus now shifts to whether Charles Leclerc’s concerns stem from the physical braking hardware itself or from the sophisticated software systems that manage braking and energy recovery in today’s Formula 1 cars. Either way, the Scuderia will be eager to find a solution quickly as it looks to avoid further setbacks in the races ahead.
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