Leclerc Drops to 8th After 20s Miami GP Penalty

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc dropped from sixth to eighth place in the Miami Grand Prix classification after stewards imposed a 20-second time penalty for repeatedly leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage on the final lap.

Leclerc spun at Turn 3 while battling McLaren's Oscar Piastri for position, striking the wall with the left side of his car. The impact caused handling issues that prevented the Ferrari from negotiating right-hand corners properly. As he limped to the finish, Leclerc cut multiple chicanes, including the Turn 5-6 esses, Turn 8, Turn 11 and the Turn 14-15 chicane. He initially crossed the line sixth, ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and Alpine's Franco Colapinto, but behind Piastri, Mercedes' George Russell and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Stewards reviewed video, telemetry, team radio and in-car evidence, along with statements from Leclerc and a Ferrari representative. They determined the mechanical issue did not justify the track excursions. "We determined that the fact that he had to cut the chicanes i.e. to leave the track meant that he gained a lasting advantage by leaving the track in that manner," the decision stated. "The fact that he had a...