JUST IN: Why Charles Leclerc Escaped Penalty for Delta…read more
JUST IN: Why Charles Leclerc Escaped Penalty for D…read more
Charles Leclerc has been cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation into a potential delta time violation during sprint qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix. Despite concerns over a possible breach, F1 stewards ruled that his actions were justified, allowing him to avoid a penalty.
Leclerc Investigated for Delta Time Infraction
The Ferrari driver was under scrutiny for allegedly exceeding the maximum delta time between the Safety Car lines in SQ2 on Friday. However, after reviewing the incident, the stewards determined that Leclerc had slowed down as part of a team instruction to swap positions with his Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, and had not acted improperly.
Stewards’ Justification for Clearing Leclerc
The Shanghai stewards explained that both Leclerc and Hamilton were preparing for their laps while running closely together on track. Ahead of them, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was also on a warm-up lap, forcing Leclerc to wait before pushing. When Hamilton passed him under Ferrari’s orders, Leclerc adjusted his speed to create a suitable gap.
The stewards noted that:
– Leclerc maintained a reasonable pace throughout.
– His actions did not hinder any drivers behind him.
– He did not gain any competitive advantage.
As a result, they ruled that Leclerc had not driven “unnecessarily slowly” and that his delta time exceedance was a consequence of appropriate on-track decisions. Consequently, no penalty was issued.
A similar review was conducted for Stroll, who was also cleared of any infraction.
This decision differs from previous cases, such as Max Verstappen’s penalty at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, where he received a one-place grid drop for impeding George Russell. In contrast, Leclerc’s actions did not impact other drivers, leading to a more lenient outcome.
Leclerc Still Struggling to Match Hamilton
Although he avoided a penalty, Leclerc could only qualify fourth for the sprint race, three places behind Hamilton, who secured his first Ferrari pole.
“I was a step behind Lewis today,” Leclerc admitted. “I struggled in Turns 1, 2, and 3, similar to last year. It’s disappointing to start P4, but hopefully, we can fight back in the race.”
With Hamilton on pole and Leclerc aiming for a comeback, Ferrari will be looking to capitalize on their strong qualifying performance in the sprint race.
