Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc acknowledged he went too far with his angry radio outburst targeting Formula One championship leader Kimi Antonelli during Saturday’s sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver Antonelli crossed the finish line in fourth place but received a five-second time penalty that dropped him to sixth position due to multiple track limit violations.
During the race, an frustrated Leclerc vented over his team radio about the teenage Italian’s driving style. “Kimi is so bad on wheel-to-wheel (racing). He moved under braking. It’s unbelievable. We are going to crash,” the third-place finisher declared during the heated moment.
However, Leclerc later softened his stance when speaking with media after the race.
“I was being a bit harsh maybe with the adrenaline inside the car,” he explained.
The Monaco driver elaborated on their racing history and the unique situation of competing against Italy’s only current F1 representative while driving for the sport’s most famous Italian team.
“It’s true that we’ve had our moments with Kimi in the past and I hope this calms down a little bit going ahead. Especially as he’s the only Italian on the grid against Ferrari,” Leclerc noted.
“I wish it was with someone else. I really like Kimi as a person,” Leclerc continued. “It’s just sometimes a little bit too close for comfort and not really needed as well. So in this particular case, I was quite angry in the car. But the comments were probably a bit too harsh.”
At just 18 years old, Antonelli holds the distinction of being Formula One’s youngest-ever championship leader. He also became the first Italian driver to capture back-to-back race victories since Alberto Ascari accomplished the feat in 1953, creating enormous excitement in Italy where Ferrari enjoys legendary status.
The young Mercedes driver acknowledged his difficulties during Saturday’s sprint, explaining how a disappointing start affected his entire race performance.
“After that, I was really frustrated and didn’t even drive well. I did a lot of mistakes and got track limits, which is something I need to avoid,” Antonelli admitted.
Looking ahead to the rest of the Miami weekend, the championship leader remained realistic about the challenges facing his team.
“This weekend has been more difficult but it was expected with everyone bringing big upgrades. We just need to maximise the result and now focus on qualifying.”
