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Charles Leclerc left Brazil furious and frustrated. What began as a promising podium chase ended in carbon fibre and silence as the Ferrari driver retired after contact with Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri. The stewards blamed Piastri, but Leclerc had a different view: Antonelli, he said, could have prevented it.
A podium chance destroyed
Leclerc started from third and looked settled. Ferrari’s balance was strong, the car alive on the straights, and the Monegasque appeared to have the pace to challenge for a top-three finish. After the Safety Car, the race restarted and chaos erupted.
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Antonelli was running second, with Leclerc on the outside and Piastri lunging down the inside. The McLaren driver braked late, clipped Antonelli’s Mercedes and sent both cars spinning into trouble. In the melee, Antonelli’s rear wheel struck Leclerc’s front tyre. The Ferrari instantly deflated and the front suspension collapsed.
Piastri received a time penalty, but Leclerc was not convinced that justice had been served. “I knew Oscar was going to try,” he told Viaplay. “Kimi knew as well. Oscar got the penalty, but for me it’s fifty-fifty. Oscar was optimistic, but Kimi didn’t account for the car on the inside. I was just collateral damage.”
The cost for Ferrari
The DNF hurt Ferrari’s battle for second in the Constructors’ Championship. “It’s incredibly frustrating,” Leclerc said. “These things happen, but when you are fighting for every point it’s painful. We need clean weekends now more than ever.”
Ferrari’s pace looked promising early in the weekend, but reliability and luck continue to conspire against them. Leclerc’s calm post-race demeanour could not hide the disappointment. The smile he forced for the cameras faded quickly as he walked back to the paddock — another strong result gone in a flash.
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