Leclerc complains about 'MARIO KART' circuit in Saudi Arabia

Charles Leclerc was unimpressed with the state of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit just a matter of laps into the grand prix weekend.

Max Verstappen led a warm opening practice session from Fernando Alonso and resurgent team-mate Sergio Perez.

Charles Leclerc finished fifth, as he bids to recover from a difficult opening race of the season where he was plagued by brake issues on his way to a fourth placed finish.

Displeased with the state of the Corniche Circuit, Leclerc took to his radio to complain about multiple plastic bags laying around the track.

READ MORE: F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weather forecast - Wind could trouble drivers in hot and sticky conditions

Chaos at the Corniche

The Monegasque driver joked that driving around the Corniche was akin to Mario Kart, where you are likely to encounter banana skins and other obstacles – similar to plastic bags in F1 terms.

Any plastic that gets caught in awkward places such as a radiator could cause the car to overheat and create a fire or cause a breakdown on track.

Ferrari were last victims of track conditions at the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year when Carlos Sainz’s car was all-but destroyed by a manhole cover.

While all drivers managed to successfully avoid any damage from the flying bags, Leclerc found the time to complain to his team about the state of the circuit.

Charles Leclerc: "The track is like Mario Kart!"

What makes you think that, @Charles_Leclerc? pic.twitter.com/upOjGPq3jH

— GPFans Global (@GPFansGlobal) March 7, 2024

READ MORE: Ferrari reveal F1 star will MISS Saudi Arabian GP for surgery

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