Charles Leclerc was handed a 20-second penalty after the finish in Miami

Written by Sonia Romero
Charles Leclerc was handed a 20-second penalty after the finish in Miami
Credit: Charles Leclerc a participé au Grand Prix de Miami 2026, la 4ᵉ manche du championnat, au Miami International Autodrome. Crédit photo Overtake Agency / Joseph Pinchin

Charles Leclerc's Sunday certainly didn't end at the checkered flag. Having already experienced a chaotic finish in Miami, the Ferrari driver was handed a 20-second penalty after the race… which dropped him from 6th to 8th place.

On the final lap, Charles Leclerc had already seen his podium finish slip away after spinning out while chasing Oscar Piastri. But what followed would make matters even worse.

After the incident, his Ferrari was no longer turning properly to the right. To make it to the finish line, the Monegasque driver repeatedly went off-track, cutting through several chicanes. A forced choice… but one the stewards did not deem acceptable.

The verdict was in: repeated track limit violations with an advantage gained. The result: a penalty equivalent to a drive-through, converted into a 20-second time penalty added after the race.

Ferrari drops back, Hamilton and Colapinto move up

In the standings, the drop is clear: Leclerc falls from 6th to 8th place.

Bad news for the Monegasque driver, already frustrated by a questionable strategy and a slow pit stop during the race. But one man's misfortune is another's fortune.

Lewis Hamilton thus regains 6th position, while Franco Colapinto climbs to 7th place. And for the Argentine, this is anything but trivial.

Colapinto cements an outstanding weekend

Already very solid throughout the weekend, Colapinto has earned himself another reward with these extra points. Eighth on the track, involved in several battles and never overtaken at key moments, he confirms his excellent form.

In a tricky race, marked by collisions, risky strategies, and changing conditions, the Alpine driver managed to stay clean and opportunistic. This gain of one position rewards what was a near-perfect weekend for him.

For Leclerc, the outcome is far more bitter. Between a poorly calibrated strategy, a mistake on the final lap, and now a penalty, the Monegasque driver leaves Miami with the feeling of having let a very big result slip away.