FIA Clears Charles Leclerc After Las Vegas FP2 Incident

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc will face no further action after the FIA stewards launched an investigation over an incident in FP2 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. This follows a "misunderstanding" when Leclerc stopped on track during the session due to a suspected gearbox problem.

Why it matters:

Leclerc's incident, while ultimately leading to no penalty, highlighted the complexities and potential safety concerns of car recovery during live sessions. For Ferrari, avoiding a penalty means their strong practice performance in Las Vegas remains untarnished, allowing them to fully focus on capitalizing on their competitive pace for qualifying and the race.

The Details:

• Incident Overview: During FP2, Leclerc's car experienced a suspected gearbox issue, forcing him to stop trackside.
• Recovery Confusion: Marshals initially struggled to put the car into neutral. Leclerc, in an attempt to assist, switched his car back on against the marshals' initial requests, who believed the car was unsafe.
• Leclerc's Explanation: The driver explained to the stewards that he first tried to put the car in neutral before switching it off. When marshals couldn't neutralize it, he reactivated the car to help, eventually convincing marshals it was safe before turning it off again.
• FIA Verdict: The stewards, after reviewing all evidence including video and team radio, concluded that it was a "misunderstanding" and cleared Leclerc of any wrongdoing, imposing no further action.
• Practice Performance: Despite the blip, Leclerc had a strong Friday, topping FP1 and finishing third in FP2, indicating competitive pace for Ferrari in Las Vegas.

What's next:

Leclerc is optimistic about Ferrari's prospects for the remainder of the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend. He believes the team is in a good position and has clear ideas for car setup improvements. With competitive pace shown in practice, the focus now shifts to qualifying, where Ferrari aims to challenge for pole position. The decisions made overnight on setup will be crucial for maintaining their strong performance against rivals like Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull.