Formula 1 Spanish GP
Leclerc, Stroll escape penalties for collisions in Spanish GP practice
Controversial FP3 incidents were reviewed by the FIA stewards
Filip Cleeren
Edited: Jun 22, 2024, 4:00 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll have received a reprimand for making contact with other cars during final practice for Formula 1's Spanish Grand Prix.
Towards the end of Saturday's FP3 session, Leclerc was impeded by Lando Norris through Turn 5, an incident which provoked an angry response from the Monegasque.
He pulled up alongside the McLaren and swerved into him, his left rear tyre making contact with Norris' front wing endplate.
On the team radio, Leclerc said: "F***er. I don't understand why they do that", while Norris reported that Leclerc "just drove into me. I think I've got damage."
A comparable accident occurred between Stroll and Hamilton in the same left-hand corner, with Hamilton blocking Stroll while he was on an out-lap.
In response an irate Stroll similarly cut off Hamilton, who had moved all the way over to the edge of the track, resulting in both cars making glancing contact around the floor edge area. The contact meant Stroll's Aston Martin team had to check his car for damage.
Right before the contact Hamilton held his hand up to apologise while telling his team he hadn't seen the Aston driver.
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Both Leclerc and Stroll were summoned by the FIA race stewards to justify their aggressive driving behaviour, which was potentially in breach of the FIA's sporting regulations regarding "driving unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous".
The stewards were lenient towards both, with Leclerc and Stroll each receiving their first reprimand of the season.
In his hearing, Leclerc claimed he had misjudged the distance with Norris and made contact by accident.
"The driver of Car 16 stated that he got impeded by Car 4 into Turn 5 and that upset him. He then had to abort his flying lap and contended that, while trying to get off the racing line before Turn 7, he misjudged the position of his car and made slight contact with Car 4.
"Irrespective of any possible intent, the Stewards consider the move made by Car 16, whilst not being dangerous, to be erratic and therefore issue a driving reprimand in line with precedents."
Stroll said he just wanted to make his displeasure with Hamilton known.
"The driver of Car 18 stated that he got impeded by Car 44 into Turn 5 and that upset him. He admitted that he wanted to express his displeasure to the other driver by pulling over on him at the exit.
"Both cars made slight contact which was incidental. However, the stewards consider the move made by car 18, whilst not being dangerous, to be erratic and therefore issue a driving reprimand in line with precedents."
Read Also:
Formula 1Fire breaks out in McLaren F1 motorhome in Barcelona
Formula 1FIA has no plans to intervene in Formula 1’s latest flexi-wing intrigue
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Four drivers investigated after F1 Spanish GP practice collisions
Next article F1 Spanish GP: Norris beats Verstappen to pole by 0.020s
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Filip Cleeren
Winners and losers from F1's record-breaking Mexico Grand Prix
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Winners and losers from F1's record-breaking Mexico Grand Prix
Emotional Kimi Antonelli left "speechless" by maiden F1 world title in Mexico
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Emotional Kimi Antonelli left "speechless" by maiden F1 world title in Mexico
More from
Lance Stroll
Why Honda’s power unit lasted barely five laps in F1 Mexico GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
6 h
Why Honda’s power unit lasted barely five laps in F1 Mexico GP
“Even faster than Ferrari” – Fernando Alonso grabs Aston Martin’s best result of F1 2026
Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
“Even faster than Ferrari” – Fernando Alonso grabs Aston Martin’s best result of F1 2026
More from
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc blames Mexico GP clash on track layout - Fred Vasseur disagrees
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
11 h
Charles Leclerc blames Mexico GP clash on track layout - Fred Vasseur disagrees
Latest news
The 'difference' between Kimi Antonelli's F1 title and Lewis Hamilton's according to Toto Wolff
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
32 min
The 'difference' between Kimi Antonelli's F1 title and Lewis Hamilton's according to Toto Wolff
Lamborghini facing loss as Grasser Racing Team and star driver eye McLaren switch?
DTM
DTM DTM 1 h
Lamborghini facing loss as Grasser Racing Team and star driver eye McLaren switch?
Spire Motorsports suspends Carson Hocevar, parking him for NASCAR finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
1 h
Spire Motorsports suspends Carson Hocevar, parking him for NASCAR finale
Lin Hodenius, James Roe partner for Lone Star Racing’s full-time IMSA GTD campaign for 2027
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 1 h
Lin Hodenius, James Roe partner for Lone Star Racing’s full-time IMSA GTD campaign for 2027
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe