Charles Leclerc saw his result from the Miami Grand Prix significantly altered after the race, following a major penalty issued by the FIA.
The Ferrari driver had originally finished sixth on track, despite a chaotic final lap. Leclerc spun at Turn 3 but did well to prevent a heavy crash into the barriers. Although he kept the car running, the incident left his SF-26 with damage that made it difficult to handle, especially through right-hand corners as he pushed to the finish.
After reviewing the race, stewards concluded that Leclerc had gone off track several times during that final lap and, in doing so, gained an advantage. As a result, he was given a drive-through penalty, which was later converted into a 20-second time addition to his race time. This dropped him two places in the final classification, from sixth down to eighth.
The revised standings meant his teammate Lewis Hamilton moved up to sixth, while Franco Colapinto of Alpine was elevated to seventh.
It marked a disappointing outcome for Ferrari, who had arrived in Miami with strong expectations after introducing multiple upgrades during the break in the season. The team had been aiming to compete closely with Mercedes, but the race ultimately did not go in their favour.
In its explanation, the FIA stated that Leclerc’s spin and contact with the wall caused handling issues, which forced him to cut across chicanes on the final lap. However, the stewards ruled that even with damage, leaving the track repeatedly and gaining time could not be excused. Therefore, the penalty was applied, finalizing a frustrating end to Leclerc’s race weekend.