Leclerc takes blame for paying heavy Singapore 'price'

Charles Leclerc has accepted responsibility for paying a heavy "price" in the Singapore Grand Prix. 

The Monegasque driver started in ninth at the Marina Bay Circuit after failing to set a legal lap time in Q3. 

Leclerc was quick to blame his front tyre temperatures after qualifying and called for Ferrari to investigate the apparent problem. 

However, following a solid P5 in the race, he conceded that he was actually to blame for the tyre issues in Q3.  

"We just paid a little bit the price of a bad quali yesterday," added Leclerc. "And actually I would also like to come back on the things I said yesterday.

"I obviously said the tyres were not in the right window, which they weren't. But looking back at it, there's been plenty of times where you have the tyres a bit out of the window and you still have to do the job as a driver.

"And eventually I didn't do the job as a driver yesterday. So I think the blame was more on my side yesterday in quali to not put a lap in, and today I paid the price of that."

Leclerc's first stint 'nightmare'

Leclerc's race was a frustrating one initially as he spent the majority of his first stint stuck behind Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg.

Despite a fourth DRS zone having been added to the Marina Bay Circuit, overtaking remained a difficult task throughout the race.

The first stint was not enjoyable for Leclerc, who actually started to enjoy the race once he found himself in clean air following his pit-stop.

When asked if enjoyed the race, Leclerc said: "Yeah, I did from the end of the first stint to the last laps. I loved it.

"The first 25 laps were a nightmare, because I was just a sitting duck behind Fernando and Nico, and I was just hoping that they had to box very soon because I was behind.

"But that never really happened, and they went very long and so I had to just wait.

"But overall, it's been a good race from that moment onwards. As soon as they pitted, we maximised our points."