Ferrari boss rejects 'harsh' criticism

Fred Vasseur, Ferrari boss, has turned down 'harsh' criticism of the Formula One team's Monaco Grand Prix pace. 

Leclerc qualified third fastest in Monaco on Saturday but received a three-place grid penalty for unnecessarily impeding McLaren's Lando Norris in the tunnel, with Alpine's Esteban Ocon promoted.

The top three finished in the same order on Sunday, with Max Verstappen winning for dominant Red Bull and Fernando Alonso second for Aston Martin. Leclerc was sixth and Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz eighth.

Vasseur said: "I don’t know if you are tough like this with Mercedes when they are behind us in qualifying.

"We were P3 in quali, less than one tenth off the pole position, two hundredths off the first row. I don't think it was a disaster.

"I think we made some mistakes throughout the weekend, team and drivers together, but to say that the pace was not there in Monaco I think is a bit harsh with us...to be able to fight for pole position for me was a satisfaction.

"The circumstances and the race scenario is the reason we did not show any pace. But nobody can say we were not on the pace."

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