Leclerc blames confusing yellow flag for disappointing Belgian GP Qualifying
Photo: Race Pictures
Updated: 18:19, 18 Jul
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Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Charles Leclerc has blamed a yellow flag being waved near the pit lane during his final run in Q3 as to why he could not improve on his eventual P5 finish at Belgian GP Qualifying.
The Monegasque finished Qualifying over half a second behind pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli, although a position up on teammate Lewis Hamilton, having looked second best at Ferrari throughout the weekend so far.
Leclerc reflected on Qualifying, revealing an issue with straight line speed that the Scuderia were able to resolve prior to Saturday's main event. He told media, including GPblog: "The weekend has been very tough for other reasons than previously.
"But we've had unfortunately something, that we can explain now, but that was difficult to understand where I was losing half a second, four tenths in the straights all the time. But then hopefully for Qualifying, we kind of saw something, changed it, and was much more in line with what we expected. But the feeling wasn't too bad from FP1."
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Leclerc blames Qualifying P5 on confusing yellow flag
Photo: Race Pictures
The Monegasque then revealed an issue with his final run in Q3, a marshal waving the yellow flag in the pit lane that Leclerc had mistaken for caution at the final corner. "I mean, a bit of a shame for that last lap and for that misunderstanding on the yellow flag in the last corner, but yeah, it's the way it is."
Speaking to Sky F1, the 28-year-old elaborated on the issue, adding: "I'm a bit disappointed for that last lap because there was a yellow flag that was supposed to be for the pit entry but that was too visible in my opinion for being on track. It was very much in the middle.
"That probably cost me one position, I wouldn't have done a crazy better lap time and half a second was still there [to Antonelli on pole] but one position [more] would have been possible."
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When asked on the gap to Mercedes, Leclerc noted the difference in "raw power" between two of F1's best teams this year. He told Sky F1: "It's just raw power. Raw power they are just on the better side of things. We are pretty strong in the grip limited [tracks] but struggling in the power limited.
"However, today it was true they were very strong in the corners as well. They just have a very strong package at the moment and for us, at the moment, we just have to focus on those tracks to maximise what we have."
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Belgian Grand Prix
Overview
Friday 17.07.26
Practice 1
11:30 AM
Practice 2
03:00 PM
Saturday 18.07.26
Practice 3
10:30 AM
Qualification
02:00 PM
Sunday 19.07.26
Race
01:00 PM
Friday 17.07.26
Practice 1
Fri 11:30 AM
Practice 2
Fri 03:00 PM
Saturday 18.07.26
Practice 3
Sat 10:30 AM
Qualification
Sat 02:00 PM
Sunday 19.07.26
Race
Sun 01:00 PM
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F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 179 | |
2 | MercedesMER | 154 | |
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9 | AlpineALP | 42 | |
10 | Racing BullsRCB | 39 |
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