FIA has issued a significant post-race penalty to Charles Leclerc following a chaotic conclusion to the Miami Grand Prix, reshaping the final classification.
Leclerc originally crossed the line in sixth place after a dramatic final lap in which he lost control of his Ferrari and made contact with the barriers. Despite the impact, he managed to keep the car running and avoid a full retirement. However, the incident left his SF-26 with noticeable damage, particularly affecting its handling through certain corners.
As he attempted to complete the lap, Leclerc struggled to guide the car properly, especially through right-hand turns. This forced him to repeatedly cut chicanes and exceed track limits in order to make it back to the finish line. While he succeeded in finishing the race, the stewards later reviewed the incident in detail.
After the race, the FIA confirmed that Leclerc had breached regulations by leaving the track multiple times and gaining an advantage as a result. Although he argued that the damage made it difficult to control the car, officials concluded that the repeated shortcuts still provided a lasting benefit. As a result, he was handed a drive-through penalty, which was converted into a 20-second time penalty since it was issued after the race had ended.
This penalty drops Leclerc from sixth to eighth in the final standings, marking a frustrating outcome after a race in which he had fought hard to stay competitive despite adversity.
The revised results promote his Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton to sixth place, while Franco Colapinto also benefits by moving up to seventh.
Leclerc had also been investigated for potentially driving an unsafe car due to the visible damage sustained during the spin. However, the FIA ruled that no further action was necessary on that front, stating there was no clear evidence of a serious mechanical failure that would justify additional punishment.
The penalty compounds what was already a disappointing weekend for Scuderia Ferrari. The team arrived in Miami with optimism after introducing a substantial upgrade package, hoping to challenge at the front of the grid. Instead, they leave the weekend without the result they had targeted, as rivals capitalized on their misfortune.
Overall, the incident highlights the strict enforcement of track limits in Formula 1, even under challenging circumstances, and serves as a reminder that maintaining control within the regulations remains essential—regardless of damage or race conditions.