Leclerc out of Miami GP Sprint after pre-race crash

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc suffered a dramatic setback ahead of Saturday’s Miami Grand Prix sprint race, crashing on his way to the grid after losing control in the wet conditions and slamming into the wall.

The Monegasque driver, who had qualified sixth for the sprint, was left ruing his team's decision to run on intermediate tyres in the worsening rain.

The incident occurred as rain began falling over the Miami Gardens circuit before the scheduled 12:00 p.m. start time. As the track rapidly lost grip, Leclerc’s Ferrari aquaplaned on standing water, sending him into a spin and leaving visible damage to his tyres and car.

“I’m so sorry,” Leclerc said over team radio. He explained that he was caught out by “complete aquaplaning”, effectively becoming a passenger in his own car.

The crash littered the circuit with debris and brought scrutiny on Ferrari’s tyre choice. Leclerc, along with his teammate Lewis Hamilton, had been sent out on intermediate tyres during the treacherous formation laps.

Hamilton voiced his frustration over the radio, seemingly questioning the team’s call to run both cars on the compromised compound.

Though other drivers managed to navigate the slick track to the grid without incident, Leclerc's crash wasn't the only pre-race drama.

Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda also failed to reach the grid, and will instead start the sprint from the pit lane. Tsunoda had already endured a disappointing weekend, having been knocked out in the first round of qualifying on Friday.

While the rain caught some off guard, one young star shone before the storm. Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli stunned the paddock by taking pole position in Friday’s dry qualifying session. Not only did the Italian set a record lap around the Miami street circuit, but he also etched his name into history as the youngest driver ever to claim pole in any official F1 format.

But with unpredictable weather and drama before lights-out, the Miami Sprint has become risky business, with any missteps potentially leading to damage that could jeopardize a driver's presence in qualifying later on Saturday which would not bode well for race day.

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