According to the "letter of the law" in F1's rulebook, Anthony Davidson believes Charles Leclerc was justified in his late-race incident with Alex Albon at Imola. However, from a "racer's" perspective, he feels Leclerc should have left room for Albon.
Rulebook or Racer Question in Charles Leclerc v Alex Albon Battle
During the closing laps of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Albon attempted to overtake Leclerc for fourth place at Tamburello. Albon went around the outside, but Leclerc did not give him room, forcing Albon off track and into the gravel. Albon lost a position to Lewis Hamilton as a result.
Albon's team radio message was: "That wasn't fair."
Hamilton then also overtook Leclerc. Leclerc was informed he was under investigation, and Ferrari subsequently instructed him to give the position back to Albon, leading to a heated reaction from Leclerc: "That's how racing is now? What did I do wrong? This is a f **king joke!"
Leclerc finished sixth behind Albon. The stewards later ruled no further action was required.
Speaking after the race, Leclerc maintained his view that he did nothing wrong, believing the corner was his based on the rules.
"It's true we all have the rules in our heads and we always try to play with them," he said. "Which is what I was trying to do today."
"Sometimes on those rules you speak about a centimetre is enough to be within the rules or without the rules. Judging it at 250 [KPH] is a bit tricky."
"I thought I was just in. Obviously, from outside it doesn't look so nice because there's one car in the gravel. But I'll look back at it and I'm always very honest with myself."
"If I think that I've done a mistake, I'll say it to Alex. But for now, I don't think I did."
Davidson agreed that by the "letter of the law," Leclerc was within his rights as he was slightly ahead at the critical point. However, removing the rulebook from the equation, Davidson felt Albon should have been given room as a pure racing moment.
Analyzing the incident for Sky F1, Davidson discussed the complexities of determining the overtaker, defender, and required space based on the rules, particularly the need for the overtaker's mirror to be alongside the defending car's wheel at the apex.
"If I throw that rule book away for a moment... and you just look at it as pure racing moment, I actually think Albon should have been given enough room here... and he wasn't."
"But knowing the rules, like I do... hence Leclerc's message on the radio, 'these are the rules we're racing to so I'm kind of entitled to claim that as my corner'. That's what we had."
Davidson concluded that Ferrari likely made the correct decision by instructing Leclerc to yield, despite the stewards later ruling no further action.
"I see it from all sides there. As a racer, I think Albon deserved the corner. And if it was me, I'd be annoyed if I was Albon. But by the letter of the law, it was close, I think it was just a battle in Leclerc's favour."