Botched qualifying forces Leclerc to 'risk crash' on Sunday

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Local hero Charles Leclerc was a shock absentee from Q2, the Ferrari driver failing to make the first cut after he only managed a lowly P16.

Lelcerc, who was fastest in FP3 earlier in the day, appeared all set to gain access to Q2, but for reasons that have yet to be determined, the Monegasque failed to make a final run in the first segment of qualifying.

Several mid-field drivers logically knocked Leclerc down the order but ironically it was team mate Sebastian Vettel - who was late to head out onto the track - that put him out of the top 15.

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It was a bitter blow for the 21-year-old Scuderia charger who denied he did not have enough time to produce a second run and questioned his team's decision not to send him back out.

"I asked whether they (Ferrari) were sure, they told me we think we are. I said we should get out again," he said, speaking to Sky F1, suggesting his team had the last word.

"I don't have any explanations yet in detail, but it's a very difficult one to take."

Leclerc missed a call to the weigh-bridge which forced his crew to roll him back to undertake the procedure. While the process cost him time, he believes he could still have gone back out for another run.

"Actually we had plenty of time even when we went out of the box to go out again," he added.

"The weigh-bridge was not the problem, we still had the fuel to go again and change tyres. I need some explanations, I don't know for now."

Sunday in Monaco is expected to dawn with a sixty percent chance of rain. And Leclerc is crossing his fingers for the heavens to open up tomorrow afternoon.

If that's not the case, he'll just roll the dice around Casino Square.

"There will be a bit of lottery in there, if it's dry it's going to be boring," he said.

"I'll have to take a lot of risk I think. Even risking to crash.

"At the end that's the only thing we need to do now is to try and be extreme in our overtaking because this is a track where it's basically impossible to overtake."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.