Charles Leclerc ended a not-so-great season with a three-place penalty for causing an opening lap accident in Bahrain on Sunday.
For Leclerc and Team Ferrari, 2020 is probably one they will be happy to leave in the rearview mirror.
Ferrari suffered technical issues, “structural weaknesses” and loss of engine power this season in their vehicles, often leaving them in the back of the pack. In addition, there was a shake up in the roster which saw Sebastian Vettel in his last year with the team, being replaced by Carlos Sainz, as well as mounting tensions between veteran Vettel and young Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc made his last race of the season at the Sakhir Grand Prix on Sunday one to forget. After qualifying in fourth place, things went downhill. Misjudging his braking point in the first lap, he locked his front wheel and rammed Sergio Perez from behind. This forced Max Verstappen to go wide, pushing him into the tyre barriers. Leclerc was out immediately, though Perez was able to continue and eventually clawed his way to the top spot, winning the race.
Verstappen called the move reckless, and the stewards clearly agreed.
Leclerc was summoned after the race and the stewards handed him a three-place penalty, docking him two points with blame landing squarely on his shoulders for the collision.
The Monegasque owned up to the mess saying, “I was in fifth I think, and I was side-by-side, a bit behind Max I think, and tried to overtake him into Turn 4. I had seen Checo, but I expected him to go around the outside of Valtteri and stay there, but I think he decided after to come back on the inside, and I was there. It was too late for me to slow down. I don’t think it’s a mistake from Checo, I’m not putting the blame on Checo. If there’s anybody to blame today, it’s me.”
Despite the hand smack, Leclerc isn’t in danger of a being taken out completely. He ends the year with three points on his license, well off the number for an automatic one-race ban. Better luck next year.