Charles Leclerc qualified third for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, as the Ferrari driver hopes to break through in his home race and finally taste victory after so many bitter defeats.
But he will not stay there.
Despite qualifying third, Leclerc has been penalized by race officials and dropped three spots on the grid following an investigation by F1 officials. In their decision, officials note that after reviewing team radio Leclerc’s team “failed to give him any warning about Norris’ approach until Norris was already directly behind him.”
Further, race officials found that “there is much that Leclerc could have done prior to the tunnel to avoid the impeding had he received warning from the team at an appropriate time, especially considering that Norris’ approach was clear on the marshalling system. Thus, the Stewards consider that the impeding was unnecessary.”
This means that Esteban Ocon will now start in P3, and Leclerc will drop to P6.
In what broadcasters on F1TV called a “slam dunk and without mitigating evidence,” Leclerc was being investigated by F1 officials for an incident of impeding. It took place late in Q3, when Lando Norris was trying to make up for lost time after his MCL60 hit the wall at the end of Q2, and McLaren mechanics spent the better part of Q3 working in the garage to repair the damage.
As Norris entered the tunnel section of the Monaco circuit, he came upon Leclerc, right in the racing line and running at a slower pace.
You can watch the full incident here:
Norris was forced off the throttle, and needed to give up his attempt at a qualifying lap.
Speaking with SkySportsF1 following Q3, where Norris placed in P10, the McLaren driver was clear that he expected a penalty to be handed down for Leclerc.
“He just blocked me. Simple as that,” he told SkySportsF1.
Asked what he wanted to see from race officials, Norris was clear: “A penalty for him [Leclerc]. There’s one rule, which is don’t slow down in the middle of the tunnel, and that’s what he did.”
In the team’s post-qualifying media report, Team Principal Andrea Stella addressed the incident briefly. “Lando’s session was disrupted by a contact with the barriers in Q2, after which his mechanics did a fantastic job to repair the car in time for a run at the end of Q3,” said Stella. “Unfortunately, he hit traffic during his fastest lap and couldn’t improve his time. That’s a little disappointing but regardless, we’re in a decent position to score points and will be working hard this evening to ensure we can maximise our chances.”
If Leclerc indeed is penalized for the incident, that could drop him down the starting grid, and make it much, much tougher to finally break through with a victory in his home Grand Prix.
Adding yet another item to the long list of heartbreaking incidents for the Ferrari driver in the Monaco Grand Prix.
Note: This piece was updated with the decision from race officials.