Leclerc explains confusing onboard radio: 'Suddenly there was a cat there!'

Charles Leclerc has clarified his confusing message over the board radio. While the Ferrari driver seemed to be struggling with mechanical problems for a while, it appears to be a completely different situation.

During the race, Leclerc was breifly worried that he might have problems with his car. As the safety car led the field, Leclerc could be heard over his team radio. The transcript of the message showed that the Monegasque was startled by a sudden 'cut'. What exactly that meant was not entirely clear, but the fear in his voice suggested that the car seemed to be facing problems again, an all too familiar sound from Ferrari.

Leclerc did not mention a 'cut'

However, that turned out to be somewhat different. At the press conference afterwards, Leclerc explained to GPblog and others what he actually meant. "A cut? No, I said 'a cat'!" explains Leclerc laughing. "There was a cat in the middle of the road and the Safety Car had to stop. But I think I was the only one who saw that. There was a cat there at the end of Turn 1. It wasn't too bad, but I wanted to say so."

Cut or cat? pic.twitter.com/uUgWzC3ey0

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) April 29, 2023