Brembo ‘astonished’ by Leclerc’s brake failure claims after Monaco crash
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc blames a critical brake malfunction for his exit at the Monaco Grand Prix, prompting a firm rebuttal from component provider Brembo, which insists the allegations are premature pending data analysis.
Charles Leclerc has attributed his race-ending crash at the Monaco Grand Prix to a catastrophic brake failure, a claim that has drawn an immediate and sharp response from brake supplier Brembo. The Ferrari driver lost control at the Antony Noghes corner during the lap-65 safety car restart, ending a race in which he appeared poised to secure a podium finish behind race winner Kimi Antonelli and second-place finisher Lewis Hamilton.
Speaking to the media after his retirement, Leclerc detailed a severe loss of braking capability, stating that three of his four brakes ceased functioning entirely. He specified that while the front-left brake remained operational, the front-right was only half-functional, and both rear brakes provided no deceleration whatsoever. Leclerc insisted that telemetry data confirmed the issue, noting that the lack of braking force was so pronounced it was as if the calipers were not installed.
Brembo issued a statement expressing “great astonishment” at Leclerc’s comments, describing them as premature. The supplier reaffirmed the reliability of its components, which include brakes, AP Racing clutches, and Ohlins shock absorbers, highlighting its 50-year partnership with Scuderia Ferrari. Brembo stated it is currently unaware of the causes of the incident and emphasised that definitive technical assessments must await a joint analysis of telemetry data with Ferrari engineers.
Despite the supplier’s caution, Leclerc remained adamant that the data was clear and that team principals Fred Vasseur and Jerome d’Ambrosio had reviewed the evidence. He dismissed the need for further speculation, asserting that the issue was isolated to the safety car restart period and that the car had performed consistently during previous laps. The incident follows a pattern of braking frustration for the Monegasque driver, who had experienced similar issues at the previous race in Montreal.
Looking ahead to the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, Leclerc claimed that an in-house solution had already been devised to rectify the problem. He indicated he would switch to what he termed the “Lewis configuration” for the next race, a reference to his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Unconfirmed paddock rumours suggest Hamilton may be utilising brakes from Carbone Industrie, a supplier he worked with during his tenure at Mercedes, though this has not been verified.
