Charles Leclerc showed empathy with Max Verstappen’s frustrations amid the chaotic restart towards the end of Sunday’s Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.
Leclerc got the jump on Verstappen, who got sideways on the exit of the final corner when the Safety Car re-entered the pit lane at the end of Lap 60.
The Red Bull man did not concede the position easily, and the pair went wheel-to-wheel and then some, making minor contact as they barrelled into Turn 1.
Verstappen knew he had little chance of regaining the place, given he had been placed on Hard tyres for the final six laps of the race.
The reigning World Champion launched an irked tirade on the radio, protesting that the Monegasque ought to give the place back due to the way it had been obtained.
Leclerc conveyed his understanding of Verstappen’s irritation, saying he would have likely conveyed the same level of frustration.
“I mean, I probably would have been very vocal if it was the other way around as well, because you are fighting for third place,” Leclerc told media including Motorsport Week.
So, you are just trying everything to get that third place back, and I think he knew that on track, it would be very difficult with the tyres he was on.
“Honestly, I don’t have any particular feeling about it. There was nothing special. I overtook on the inside.
“He tried to squeeze me on the dirty side of the track, then I had the upper hand because I had more speed because I had more speed because of the mistake he had done.
“And then I was trying to take the slipstream of the McLaren, went a tiny bit to the left. He didn’t seem to want to move at all, and we touched a little bit, but there was nothing special.”
Leclerc’s ‘full attack’ helped him rob late podium finish
The choice to pit Verstappen for Hards was a reasonably surprising one, and, along with the tankslapper out of the final turn, it inevitably contributed to him losing a certain podium, which was of course followed by his controversial collision with George Russell, who got in on the action with Leclerc.
The weekend was not the most competitive for Ferrari, so Leclerc knew that the opportunity needed to be taken if it should present itself.
“Well, I mean, from the moment where I knew that Max was on a Hard tyre, I was like, ‘OK, that’s not a great tyre to be on for the last five laps’, especially if there’s no saving or whatsoever.
“So, I knew that it was a full attack for me and that there was an opportunity to finish on the podium.
“Max went with a lot of commitment in the last corner, lost the rear on the exit and then I was basically side by side, and I was very happy to take the third place.”
READ MORE – Max Verstappen makes U-turn on F1 Spanish GP collision with George Russell
