Max Verstappen: ‘Crazy’ Charles Leclerc ‘only got a reprimand’ for Lando Norris clash
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
The Spanish GP cameras captured Max Verstappen and Lando Norris having a disapproving chat about Charles Leclerc’s reprimand, one of two controversial decisions from the stewards.
Both Ferrari driver Leclerc and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll were involved in a spot of ‘road rage’ during the final hour of practice ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, but the verdict from the stewards to issue only reprimands proved a huge topic of debate.
Max Verstappen: ‘Crazy’ only reprimand for Charles Leclerc
Additional reporting by Sam Cooper
After quickly catching an unaware Lewis Hamilton on the approach to Turn 5, Stroll followed the wide line of Hamilton – who was attempting to let him through – to squeeze the Mercedes driver with light contact as the result.
Shortly after, Leclerc, feeling Norris had impeded him into Turn 7, showed his frustration by seemingly moving over on Norris and applying the brakes as he drew ahead.
Norris reported damage at the time from the ensuing contact with this incident also investigated by the stewards, but while both were seen as cases of “erratic” driving, neither driver was penalised beyond a reprimand.
Following qualifying, where Norris claimed pole and Verstappen P2 on the grid, the cameras captured a conversation between the pair as Verstappen expressed his surprise that Leclerc got a reprimand only, while Norris’ replies and stern expression showed he was not best pleased by the news delivered by Verstappen.
The conversation went as follows:
Verstappen: “It’s quite crazy he got a reprimand.”
Norris: “That’s what he got?”
Verstappen: “Yeah. Only a reprimand!”
Norris: “My whole front wing was f*cked.”
Verstappen: “I know! Yeah. Crazy.”
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Leclerc, when asked for his version of events by PlanetF1.com, would reflect on the incident as a “misunderstanding”.
“My version is very simple,” he said. “Lando exited the pit lane and I was behind on a push lap then when he aborted I also aborted it.
“I braked to be alongside him and I misjudged it. On the right I didn’t want to impede either the cars behind and so I was a bit in the middle by being frustrated and looking in a mirror to try not to impede and we collided, but it was a misunderstanding more than anything.”
In response to a further question on the incident, Leclerc denied that he had intentionally instigated contact with Norris.
“You’re always frustrated when you do that but you never want to touch,” he said. “Obviously in FP3, that’s the last thing you want to do, to damage the car, my car first of all, because I’ve got qualifying right after so it’s never the goal.”
Leclerc will start the Spanish Grand Prix from P5 on the grid.
Read next – F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix?
