Charles Leclerc cracks under pressure at the worst possible moment in Miami: “I’ve thrown it all away”

While he was on course for third place on the podium, Charles Leclerc lost it all on the final lap, spinning out and suffering visible damage to his car. 

Some races are lost due to strategy, others due to pace… and then there are those lost in a single second. In Miami, Charles Leclerc checked off the third box.

Long in contention, and even in the lead after a perfectly executed start, the Ferrari driver seemed headed for a solid podium finish. But on the final lap, everything changed.

A perfect start… and a solid race

As soon as the lights went out, Leclerc struck hard. Taking advantage of a botched start by Antonelli, he dived wide to seize the lead. A clean, incisive start, in line with his strong performances since the start of the season.

Despite constant pressure—first from Antonelli, then from the very aggressive McLarens—the Monegasque driver stayed in the mix. Even after a questionable strategy and a slow pit stop (3.7 seconds), he managed to get back into the fight for the podium.

And in the final stages, everything was still up for grabs.

The strategic gamble… and the tipping point

Facing Oscar Piastri, Ferrari took a gamble. Letting the McLaren pass to better counterattack later, thanks to the overtaking mode.

On paper, the idea made sense.

“It was part of the strategy, but it didn't work. If I stayed in front, I was sure he'd pass me because they had too much speed on the straights and in the second sector. I wanted the overtake mode; he passed as expected, but I made a mistake and it threw everything away,” he told reporters after the race.

The plan went according to plan… until it came time to seal the deal.

A costly mistake

In an attempt to stay close to Piastri on the final lap, Leclerc pushed his car too hard. A slightly overconfident acceleration, and the Ferrari spun out. Game over.

In a matter of seconds, the podium was gone. Worse: his damaged car left him vulnerable, and he lost two more positions in the final kilometers to Russell and Verstappen. From third to sixth. Brutal.

“I gave it everything I had; I knew it would be crucial to have overtaking mode on the final lap, and I knew the deployment wasn't ideal against the McLaren. These aren't excuses because I have only myself to blame.”

The mistake could have had even more serious consequences.

“I was lucky to finish the race because it could have ended there. Instead of finishing fourth, I finished sixth.”

Because yes, before the spin, fourth place was assured. The podium remained uncertain, but the big points were there. In the end, Ferrari leaves with a bitter taste… and points lost. “In terms of performance, it was a very good start to the season and a very good race.”

But in Formula 1, the line between performance and error is thin. Very thin.

“But the mistake on the last lap was a big one—maybe I was too optimistic with the throttle while trying to stay close to Oscar. It's been close several times this season, and this time it happened.”

A Sunday that could get even worse

As if that weren't enough, Leclerc is also under investigation after the finish:

• for potentially gaining an off-track advantage after his spin
• for staying on track with a damaged car
• and for contact with Russell in the final corners

In other words, sixth place isn't even entirely guaranteed.

Leclerc: Judge and Guilty

In all this, Leclerc isn't trying to hide. He takes full responsibility.

“My mistake threw all the team's hard work down the drain, so I have to be very hard on myself because this can't happen again.” A powerful statement, reflecting a driver who knows he had a major result within his grasp…