Leclerc gets grid penalty for Abu Dhabi GP
Charles Leclerc has been handed a three-place grid penalty for the Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi for causing an opening lap collision in the Sakhir Grand Prix.
Leclerc was involved in a tussle with Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas as they ran up towards Turn 4 on the opening lap of the Bahrain race.
But he misjudged his braking point and locked up a front wheel, which resulted in him running into the back of Sergio Perez's Racing Point car.
Leclerc was out on the spot with damage to the front of the car, while Perez was able to resume and pit for fresh rubber, before launching a brilliant charge to victory.
Verstappen, who was on the outside, was left with nowhere to go and ended up running wide to avoid the accident and skipped across a gravel trap before hitting the tyre barriers.
Leclerc was summoned to see the stewards after the race and it was decided that he was to blame for the crash.
A statement issued by the FIA said: "The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 16 (Charles Leclerc), team representatives and have reviewed multiple angles of video evidence.
"Car 16 braked too late into Turn 4, locking the front right wheel and colliding with Car 11 which was taking the normal racing line into the corner."
Speaking after the race, Leclerc had said he expected Perez to remain wide through Turn 4, but was caught out when the Mexican cut across.
"I was in fifth I think, and I was side-by-side, a bit behind Max I think, and tried to overtake him into Turn 4," Leclerc said.
"I had seen Checo, but I expected him to go around the outside of Valtteri and stay there, but I think he decided after to come back on the inside, and I was there.
"It was too late for me to slow down. I don't think it's a mistake from Checo, I'm not putting the blame on Checo. If there's anybody to blame today, it's me."
Verstappen later called Leclerc's actions as 'reckless' in driving like that on the opening lap of the race.
"I don't know why they were being so aggressive and so reckless," he explained.
"We are all up in the front, and at the end of the day now, three cars basically were the victim of that, two cars heavily."
Related video
Previous article
Mercedes reveals radio failure led to Russell tyre mix-up
Next article
Hamilton in race to be fit for Abu Dhabi GP
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Sakhir GP |
| Drivers | Charles Leclerc |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
Scuderia Ferrari Filming Day Backstage Footage
Back to Work | Valtteri Bottas' 2021 Seat Fit
F1 Explained | Mercedes Power Unit
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years
How Albon plans to fight his way out of Red Bull limbo
Alex Albon has faced the media for the first time since he lost his Red Bull drive at the end of 2020 and dropped out of a Formula 1 race seat altogether. He has a history of bouncing back from setbacks, so here's what he must do to rise again
Ranked! Carlin's greatest F1 graduates
Carlin has helped guide enough drivers to Formula 1 to fill out an entire grid, plus a handful of reserves, to create a remarkable alumni list. With Yuki Tsunoda set to join that group, Motorsport.com has ranked its graduates to grace the grand prix scene...
Why Alfa's 2021 launch says more about its 2022 plans
Alfa Romeo launched its C41 with a revised front nose, but there's little to suggest it will surge up the leaderboard in 2021. As the team frankly admits, it's putting its eggs in the basket labelled 2022 and hoping to hold the eighth place it earned last year
Why Gasly’s AlphaTauri haven is a blessing and a curse
Red Bull opted not to re-sign Pierre Gasly even before it decided to drop Alex Albon and so the Frenchman's Formula 1 journey will continue at AlphaTauri. This has positive and negative connotations for one of last season's star performers.
