How did Charles Leclerc go from being quickest at the start of Q1 to dropping out in 16th place at the end of the session?

The team radio from his car reveals how Ferrari appeared to be uncertain about whether he needed to improve his lap time.

Having initially set a best time of 1’12.149, Leclerc suffered a lock-up at Rascasse which caused a flat-spot on his tyres. He advised his team, who asked him to attempt to set another lap. He began to, but abandoned the lap as he was unable to improve, and came into the pits.

At that point he was signalled to drive onto the weigh bridge. He didn’t and pulled up at his pit box, but the team noticed the error and pushed him back.

Once that was done Leclerc asked the team whether he should run again. The reply came back that they didn’t think he needed to, despite him not being able to improve with his final run.

However as other drivers improved their times Leclerc continued to fall down the order. When team mate Sebastian Vettel moved up with his last lap, it pushed Leclerc into the drop zone by 0.173 seconds.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Charles Leclerc’s Monaco Grand Prix qualifying team radio

To Leclerc: OK you can do another push lap if you need it. At the moment, P1. To Leclerc: Look for Stroll behind, he’s pushing. To Leclerc: Watch for traffic with Stroll. Next car Perez, pushing. To Leclerc: OK Perez behind pushing, watch for traffic. To Leclerc: Perez behind pushing, OK. To Leclerc: And now you have a good gap. Next car behind pushing is Russell but you have a good gap there, he’s at turn nine under the tunnel. To Leclerc: So next car behind pushing is Russell, nine seconds. To Leclerc: Mode push for last corner. To Leclerc: (Leclerc does a flying lap)

OK mode charge, mode charge. Next car behind pushing is Stroll, seven seconds. To Leclerc: Next car behind pushing is Stroll, five seconds. To Leclerc: Ricciardo in front, five seconds. To Leclerc: You are P3 at the moment. You should try to stay in front of Stroll behind at three seconds, he’s pushing. To Leclerc: You have a bit of a gap now behind Stroll if you want. To Leclerc: Mode push for last corner, mode push. Leclerc: (Leclerc locks up)

I’ve flat-spotted the tyres. To Leclerc: OK next car behind is Sebastian, eight seconds, he’ll be on a slow lap. To Leclerc: And box now, box. To Leclerc: Next car behind is Sebastian, he’s on a slow lap, eight seconds behind. To Leclerc: Do you think you can push another lap with these tyres? Leclerc: Can try, yes. To Leclerc: OK so let’s try again. To Leclerc: Mode push for last corner, mode push. To Leclerc: (Leclerc abandons the lap) To Leclerc: And box now, box. Next car behind is Albon on an out-lap, box now. To Leclerc: Weigh bridge, weigh bridge. Leclerc: Wait, wait, wait I haven’t… To Leclerc: Weigh bridge. To Leclerc: (Leclerc is pushed back to the weigh bridge)

You can switch off the radio. And P zero. Leclerc: Do we have to go again? To Leclerc: (Jock Clear replies)

We’ll get ready Charles, but we don’t really have to go

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

2019 F1 season