Leclerc called to F1 stewards for two possible rules breaches

Leclerc called to F1 stewards for two possible rules breaches

Charles Leclerc has been summoned to see the Formula 1 stewards for two potential breaches of the sporting regulations in the Miami Grand Prix, including driving a car in an unsafe condition.

Ferrari driver Leclerc led the opening stages of the race and held third until being passed by Oscar Piastri at the hairpin at the end of the penultimate lap, then spun through the Esses at the start of the following lap while pursuing the McLaren driver.

He glanced the barrier at the end of that spin and was able to continue, though his Ferrari was significantly hobbled and Leclerc ultimately lost places to George Russell and Max Verstappen as well, finishing sixth.

Leclerc said after the race that he was "pretty sure there was a puncture, there was probably some suspension damage as well" when asked to detail what happened by The Race.

And he has subsequently been asked to report to the stewards for breaches of Article B1.8.6 and/or Article B1.8.7 of the sporting regulations, which relate to leaving the track without justifiable reason and driving a car in an unsafe condition respectively.

This is almost certainly in relation to his attempt to complete the final lap with damage to his Ferrari.

The first article states that drivers "must make every reasonable effort to use the track at all times and may not leave the track without a justifiable reason".

The second article, relating to the car's condition, states that a car with "significant and obvious damage to a structural component which results in it being in a condition presenting an immediate risk of endangering the driver or others, or whose car has a significant failure or fault which means it cannot reasonably return to the pitlane without unnecessarily impeding another competitor or otherwise hindering the competition must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so".

This also says it is at the race director's discretion to determine whether a car meets the criteria for "significant and obvious damage to a structural component".

The hearing was set for 4.15pm local time in Miami (9.15pm UK time).

Leclerc said afterwards he was "very disappointed with myself" for the spin and accepted that "it's all on me and it's a mistake".

But he added: "I obviously need to look because with these cars you always have a bit of the question mark of how much it deploys and considering it was the last lap, maybe there was a bit more [energy deployed] out of that corner, as you just need to finish the lap with that amount of energy.

"But that's not an excuse in any way. It's all on me and it's not acceptable."