A 20-second time penalty was imposed on Charles Leclerc after the conclusion of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix due to an incident on the final lap.
During the Miami race’s concluding lap, Leclerc experienced a rapid spin, narrowly avoiding a major collision yet sustaining damage to the front-left of his vehicle following contact with the Turn 3 barrier.
This incident caused Leclerc to forfeit a podium position to Oscar Piastri, after which he made strenuous efforts to hold off George Russell from Mercedes and Max Verstappen driving for Red Bull.
However, due to damage to his steering arm, Leclerc bypassed multiple corners and forced the lapped vehicle of Arvid Lindblad aside. He also had minor contact with Russell at the hairpin, ultimately conceding positions to both the Mercedes driver and Verstappen by the finish line.
Post-race, the FIA stewards examined the collision with Russell and the accusation that Leclerc left the track to gain an unfair advantage. For the latter transgression, Leclerc initially received a drive-through penalty, which was subsequently changed to a 20-second time penalty after the event.
Consequently, Leclerc’s standing fell to eighth place, positioning him behind his colleague Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto of Alpine, with Colapinto achieving his career-best grand prix outcome due to this adjustment.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
During his formal hearing, Leclerc clarified that his car experienced difficulty turning right subsequent to hitting the wall, compelling him to bypass certain tighter chicanes in Miami. However, the stewards contended that this constituted acquiring a sustained benefit and penalized him due to the repeated instances of leaving the track.
The official document from the FIA stewards declared: “On the final lap, Car 16 spun at Turn 3, striking the barrier, but remained on the circuit. The driver reported to us that, aside from the car’s inability to properly handle right-hand turns, it seemed operational. Due to this issue, he was compelled to bypass chicanes en route to the checkered flag. We concluded that his necessity to bypass chicanes (i.e., to depart the track) constituted acquiring a sustained benefit by traversing off the circuit in such a fashion.
“His existence of a mechanical fault of some kind was not deemed a legitimate justification. Consequently, we are applying a Drive Through penalty to Car 16, considering the multiple occasions the car departed the track and secured an advantage.”
Nonetheless, the stewards refrained from imposing additional sanctions regarding the allegation that Leclerc’s vehicle was in an unsafe state.
“We additionally evaluated if a further violation occurred by persistently operating a vehicle with a clear and noticeable mechanical problem,” the judgment proceeded. “Our finding was that no proof existed of an apparent or noticeable mechanical defect. Hence, we initiated no further measures concerning that possible infraction.”
Furthermore, no subsequent action was taken against Leclerc or Russell concerning their contact at the hairpin during the last lap. The stewards concurred with both drivers’ assessment that it represented a “minor racing occurrence.”
We want to hear from you!
Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.
Take our survey
– The Autosport.com Team
