22/06/2024
NEWS STORY
Charles Leclerc and Lance Stroll are both lucky to escape harsher punishment after deliberately running into rivals.
In the Canadian's case, he told the stewards that he got impeded by Lewis Hamilton into Turn 5 and that upset him.
He admitted that he wanted to express his displeasure to the Mercedes driver by pulling over on him at the exit, however both cars made slight contact, which, according to the stewards was incidental.
While the stewards did not consider the move to be dangerous, they did feel it was "erratic" and therefore issued a driving reprimand - Stroll's first of the season - in line with precedents.
In the other incident, Leclerc stated that he got impeded by Norris into Turn 5 also, and like Stroll the move "upset" him as he subsequently had to abort his flying lap, contending that, while trying to get off the racing line before Turn 7, he misjudged the position of his car and made slight contact the McLaren.
Irrespective of any possible intent, the stewards again considered the move, whilst not being dangerous, to be erratic and therefore once again issued a driving reprimand, the Monegasque's first of the season.
Fact is, both incidents were deliberate and merely cataloguing them as erratic sets a worrying precedent.