Charles Leclerc has been handed a significant 20-second penalty following the Miami Grand Prix, which saw him fall from sixth to eighth place in the final classification. The Ferrari driver was on track for a podium finish until a dramatic spin on the final lap sent him crashing into the wall at turn three. His damaged car struggled to handle right-hand corners, forcing him to cut chicanes multiple times as he limped to the finish line.
Oscar Piastri capitalised on Leclerc's misfortune to secure the final podium spot, while George Russell and Max Verstappen also overtook the struggling Monegasque driver. Stewards investigated Leclerc for repeatedly leaving the track and gaining an advantage, ultimately converting a drive-through penalty into a 20-second post-race time penalty.
The officials stated: 'We determined that the fact that he had to cut the chicanes meant that he gained a lasting advantage by leaving the track in that manner.' As a result, Lewis Hamilton was promoted to sixth place, while Franco Colapinto inherited seventh. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen received a five-second penalty for crossing the pit exit line too early, but it did not affect his fifth-place finish.
This penalty reshuffles the Miami GP results and highlights the strict enforcement of track limits in modern Formula 1.
