Charles Leclerc Escapes Major Penalty for Pit Lane Speeding in Montreal

Charles Leclerc has been found guilty of speeding in the pit lane during practice for the Canadian Grand Prix, but escaped with only a team fine and no sporting penalty.

The Ferrari driver was clocked at 96.3km/h – 16.3km/h over the 80km/h limit at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – resulting in a €1,000 fine for the Scuderia. Leclerc went on to finish the session fourth, behind teammate Lewis Hamilton and the two Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.

Why it matters:

Pit lane speed limits are strictly enforced for safety reasons, and any violation can draw heavy penalties. Leclerc's relatively light punishment reflects that this was a practice session infraction rather than a race or qualifying offence, but it adds a minor distraction for Ferrari heading into a weekend where McLaren and Mercedes appear strong.

The details:

• Leclerc was found to have exceeded the 80km/h limit by 16.3km/h during the first practice session.
• The €1,000 fine is the standard penalty for pit lane speeding in practice, with no grid drop or license points applied.
• The session was disrupted by three red flag stoppages:
  • Liam Lawson – His Racing Bulls car stopped on track due to a hydraulic issue.
  • Alex Albon – Struck and killed a marmot with his Williams, causing him to crash while trying to avoid the rodent.
  • Esteban Ocon – Damaged the front of his Haas with only minutes remaining in the session, which had been extended by 19 minutes to compensate for earlier stoppages.
• Despite the interruption, Leclerc finished P4, just behind Hamilton who was P3 in his first Ferrari outing at the Canadian track.

Looking Ahead:

Leclerc will aim to put this minor incident behind him as he focuses on qualifying and Sunday's race. While Ferrari showed decent pace, the gap to the Mercedes pair suggests a challenging weekend in Montreal, where track evolution and weather often play a role.