Charles Leclerc let a sure podium slip away in Miami after a costly mistake in the final lap. The Ferrari driver fully takes responsibility.
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At the Miami International Autodrome circuit, Charles Leclerc experienced a nightmarish end to the race. Long firmly settled on the podium, the Monegasque lost everything in the final moments.
Trying to stay close to Oscar Piastri, he made a mistake on acceleration, spinning out. Result: a sharp drop in the standings and a sixth place at the finish, far from his initial ambitions.
Leclerc fully takes responsibility
Clear-headed after the race, Leclerc did not look for excuses.
“I gave everything, I knew it would be crucial to have the overtaking mode in the last lap, I knew the deployment was not very good against the McLaren. These are not excuses because I can only blame myself” he declares.
The Ferrari driver also admits to having nearly retired after his mistake.
“I was lucky to finish the race because it could have ended there. Instead of finishing fourth, I finished sixth” he adds, aware of the extent of the damage.
A risky strategy that did not pay off
In the last laps, Ferrari had opted for a bold strategic approach. Leclerc had deliberately let Piastri pass to try to counterattack later using the overtaking mode activation.
“It was part of the strategy, but it didn’t work. If I stayed ahead, I was sure he would overtake me. I wanted the overtaking mode, he passed as planned but I made the mistake and it threw everything in the trash” he explains.
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A calculated choice… but ruined by a driving error.
Frustration matching the hopes
This mistake is all the harder to swallow because the overall performance was there. Leclerc believes his start to the season as well as his pace in Miami were very solid.
“In terms of performance, it was a very good start to the season and a very good race. But the mistake in the last lap is big, maybe too optimistic on the accelerator trying to stay close to Oscar” he admits.
Beyond the sporting result, Leclerc remains under threat of sanctions. He is under investigation for cutting several corners and for potentially dangerous driving after his spin.
“My mistake threw all the team’s work in the trash, so I have to be very hard on myself because it must not happen again” he concludes.
A strong statement illustrating the frustration of a driver who came very close to a big result… before losing everything in a few seconds.
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