Leclerc sidelined from FP2 in Canada after heavy crash

Charles Leclerc’s Canadian Grand Prix weekend is off to a rocky start, as the Ferrari driver was forced to sit out Friday’s second free practice session after sustaining significant damage to his SF-25 in FP1.

The incident occurred just 15 minutes into the first practice session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Leclerc, who had set the early pace, locked up under braking into Turn 3, ran wide onto the grass, and clipped the inside barrier with his front-left tyre.

The contact bounced his car into the wall at Turn 4, causing extensive damage and bringing out a brief red flag.

The crash left Leclerc’s Ferrari stricken across the track and brought a premature end to his session, and eventually to his day – a frustrating setback given the Monegasque’s relatively strong Spanish Grand Prix.

Ferrari Confirms Chassis Damage and FP2 Withdrawal

Initial inspections by the team suggested the crash may have compromised the chassis of Leclerc’s car. Team Principal Fred Vasseur hinted early on that the extent of the damage could be significant enough to rule the Monegasque driver out of the day’s second session.

“When I left the garage, we think that we damaged the chassis, and by the way, we won’t be able to do FP2 by regulation,” Vasseur told the media.

“We need to do some checks but I think it’s a rough afternoon for Charles.”

Later in the day, Ferrari confirmed the worst: Leclerc would not return to the track on Friday.

“Due to the damage to his car sustained in the crash in FP1, Charles Leclerc will not take part in FP2, as the survival cell on his SF-25 needs to be replaced. As per the regulations, Charles will be able to drive in FP3,” read the team’s official statement,” the Scuderia stated.

The crash leaves Leclerc on the back foot heading into Saturday’s final practice and qualifying sessions.

• Read also: Hamilton ‘relieved’ after Ferrari confirmed Spanish GP car issue

While he initially topped the timing sheets in FP1, his early benchmark was surpassed as others improved in the final minutes. He eventually dropped to tenth on the timesheets, while teammate Lewis Hamilton finished fifth.

The team now faces the heavy task of preparing a new chassis for Leclerc ahead of FP3 on Saturday morning, where he’ll hope to recover lost ground and set the tone for a stronger qualifying performance.

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