F1 News: Charles Leclerc concerned with Ferrari's engine ahead of Mexican GP

Ferrari's reliability is a concern for Leclerc.

Charles Leclerc was uncharacteristically off the pace in Mexico qualifying, finding himself considerably behind the Red Bull and Mercedes duo on the timing sheets.  

Leclerc is often capable of extracting all the performance from his F1-75 in qualifying, but various factors prevented him from fighting at the front in the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. 

The 25-year-old explained that engine issues plagued him throughout the session, limiting his power on the main straight and impacting the overall drivability of his car. 

Leclerc hopes Ferrari can address these power unit issues for the Grand Prix, especially considering the demanding nature of competing at such high altitudes.

Ferrari's reliability has proven to be one of its weaknesses this season, so in a race that could be a war of attrition, it will be imperative to overcome these problems. 

Speaking with the media post-session, Leclerc detailed some of his problems:

"It was a difficult session, but there is a problem, I'm sure. 

"We need to look into it. It was mostly engine-wise; we were losing a lot of time down the straight, and there were loads of problems with drivability...

"The engine was not responding to the throttle input I was giving. Especially in the high speed, it was extremely difficult. 

"I really hope we can fix that for tomorrow. If yes, I feel confident we can have a good result. If not, I'm not sure how it will go. 

"I think this is really a one-off. For me, it was really strange. We need to look into it, and I hope we can find something for tomorrow."

Carlos Sainz also struggled on the opposite side of the Ferrari garage in qualifying, so doubts remain about the Italian squad's competitiveness in Mexico. 

The Scuderia has a reasonable points cushion ahead of Mercedes in the standings, but Ferrari will be more concerned about addressing these persistent issues for next season.