Jolyon Palmer says Charles Leclerc is ‘way more prone to crashing’ than Lewis Hamilton

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Jolyon Palmer says Charles Leclerc takes more ‘risks’ than Lewis Hamilton, but as the Monaco Grand Prix showed, it comes at a cost, as he is more prone to finding the barriers.

Hamilton had the better of Leclerc at his home Grand Prix, beating him in qualifying as the Monegasque driver found the barriers on his final run. There was an element of mind games, as Hamilton questioned whether Leclerc was the best over one lap in Monaco.

On Sunday, Ferrari looked on course for a double podium when Leclerc crashed into the barriers at the final corner during the safety car restart. He blamed the brakes on the SF-26, scolding the issue over the radio and to the media.

Jolyon Palmer says Charles Leclerc is ‘happy to crash’ unlike Lewis Hamilton

Leclerc’s DNF gave Hamilton the breathing space to grab his second consecutive P2 at the Monaco Grand Prix. The seven-time champion is now second in the standings after leapfrogging Leclerc and George Russell.

Juan Pablo Montoya says Hamilton is ‘matching’ Leclerc and is giving him a challenge that he has never experienced before. He and Palmer do not doubt that the Monegasque driver is faster, but his risk-taking puts him far more at risk of crashing.

Discussing his weekend, Palmer said on F1 TV’s post-race show: “It’s how he drives though. And I feel like, look, he’s a sensational talent, but he drives like he either wants to win or he’s happy to crash.

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Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Scuderia Ferrari HP Press Office, Oracle Red Bull Racing / Red Bull Content Pool, McLaren Racing

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“And so I think he brings it on himself, the hero or zero mentality. Yesterday in qualifying, he was on for pole position if he could hook up the final sector, he was neck and neck with Kimi, but he’s having to push so hard.

“He’s taking risks basically that Lewis isn’t; it makes him slightly quicker but way more prone to crashing, and I think it’s just in him this weekend.

“It’s his home race; he’s got a load of skill and a load of history around here in terms of achieving results. He’s obviously super quick, but he’s not willing to do anything worse than fight for the win.

“Whereas I do feel like Lewis was sort of settling for, maybe, the pace of the car at times that Charles was pushing more than the car could do.”

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Mark Webber says ‘clumsy’ Charles Leclerc tends to crash when adrenaline kicks in

Leclerc’s mistakes in qualifying and the race proved costly, and Mark Webber pointed out his habit of crashing when adrenaline starts to kick in.

Addressing his qualifying performance, he said on Channel 4: “Yeah, clumsy Q3, clumsy. First lap, into Massenet, got wide, so that lap was gone. Had to come back in, probably had to re-adjust his run plan in a way, had to do two laps on the second set.

“Converted the first lap on the second set, which is his grid position, but his final push, bang, in the wall at Tabac.

“So, it does happen every now and again. He just has that adrenaline, overcooks, and the mistakes start to come.”