All articles tagged with #leclerc
Charles Leclerc leads the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid with Kimi Antonelli close behind and Max Verstappen third; Lando Norris fights back for fourth after a slow pit stop as Lewis Hamilton retires with brake problems. The race features tyre strategy discussions and track-limit warnings as the action unfolds.
Mercedes’ George Russell led FP1 at the new Madring Madrid circuit with a 1m34.077s, beating Antonelli and Leclerc as Mercedes grabbed a provisional 1-2. Lewis Hamilton started fast but later impeded several rivals around La Monumental, while Verstappen sat fifth and Alonso was 15th in a session of improving lap times after the soft-tyre switch.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged there were issues to clear up between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton after Monza but rejected characterizing it as an internal crisis, stressing the need to protect the team and uphold clear principles and equal driver treatment. He defended the team’s engagement with drivers, warned against letting media comments dictate narratives, and defended Ferrari’s ADUO engine upgrade as context-dependent, while confirming ongoing support from Maranello amidst sustained pressure.
At Monza, Leclerc collided with Hamilton on the opening lap, sending Hamilton off into the gravel and Leclerc into the Parabolica barrier, triggering a red flag; Hamilton finished sixth and urged clearer Ferrari rules of engagement after Ferrari failed to optimise team orders and slipstreams, saying such incidents cost him ground in the title race.
George Russell led FP2 at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza with a 1m22.559s, edging Charles Leclerc and team‑mate Antonelli as teams switched to soft tyres; Norris finished fourth, Hamilton fifth, and Verstappen ninth amid balance tweaks and a Leclerc spin.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped first practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix with a 1m19.075s, beating Verstappen and Hamilton as Aston Martin rolled out a heavily upgraded AMR26; Lance Stroll suffered a suspected rear-suspension failure that caused a spin and red flag.
Charles Leclerc led from start to finish to win the 2026 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, with polesitter Kimi Antonelli dropping to 16th after a left wheel shield failure; George Russell finished second and Lewis Hamilton completed the podium after Verstappen spun late and a safety-car reshuffle.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc leads Autosport’s live British Grand Prix coverage from Silverstone as Lewis Hamilton is handed a five‑second penalty for a false start; Leclerc sits ahead early with Antonelli close behind and Russell in the mix as the race unfolds. A brief Virtual Safety Car is triggered by an umbrella on track, while teams debate one‑stop vs two‑stop strategy as the action progresses.
Monaco Grand Prix is red-flagged after Charles Leclerc crashes at the final chicane; Kimi Antonelli inherits the lead with Hadjar in third as repair work on the damaged tarmac is carried out. Russell incurs a drive-through penalty for not serving a prior penalty, causing pit-lane confusion. Norris has already retired, Verstappen earlier retired, and several other drivers remain on track as teams ready for a potential 10-lap sprint upon restart.
Charles Leclerc led FP1 in Monaco with a 1:13.978 for Ferrari as the session was disrupted by Fernando Alonso’s crash and Isack Hadjar’s incident. Hamilton and Verstappen completed the top three, with several other exchanges and looming stewards investigations (including Leclerc and Liam Lawson). The Monaco weekend marks the return of three practice sessions, with tight competition shaping up among Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren.
Ferrari has renewed Charles Leclerc’s contract, reinforcing its status as the sport’s top payer. While the length and exact figures weren’t disclosed, estimates suggest Leclerc could earn up to €50 million per year, a renewal that would push Ferrari’s combined driver salaries beyond €100 million and widen the gap to Red Bull (about €75 million) and Mercedes’ salary landscape. The deal length remains undisclosed.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the pace in the first Q2 runs at the Canadian Grand Prix, while Charles Leclerc struggled and dropped into the lower tier of the session as rivals like Norris and Verstappen urged the margins.
Charles Leclerc received a 20-second penalty for incidents on the final lap at the Miami Grand Prix, dropping Ferrari from sixth to eighth and promoting Lewis Hamilton to P6 and Franco Colapinto to P7, with Kimi Antonelli taking the win; no further penalties were issued to George Russell or Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc was handed a 20-second post-race penalty for a last-lap incident at the Miami Grand Prix, after a high-speed spin and wall contact forced him to cut chicanes and gain a lasting advantage, dropping him from a podium to eighth behind Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto; stewards said there was no further action for the hairpin contact or a mechanical issue.
Charles Leclerc received a 20-second time penalty after three post-race investigations for leaving the track and gaining an advantage on the final lap of the Miami Grand Prix, dropping him from sixth to eighth and promoting Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto by one position each.