Leclerc takes blame for first lap crash as Verstappen brands him “reckless”

Charles Leclerc has accepted the blame for causing a three-car incident in the opening lap of the Sakhir Grand Prix as Max Verstappen hit out at the Ferrari driver’s “reckless” move that put them both out of the race.

Leclerc tried a late move on Sergio [Checo] Perez at turn four and, when the pair collided, his Ferrari went into the barriers and Verstappen, forced wide into the gravel, ended up in there with him.

Verstappen, who had been challenging the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas before the incident, said: “Valtteri squeezed which is normal so I had to back out and then after that it was all about surviving in between the cars.

“I don’t know why they were being so aggressive and so reckless. We are up at the front and then at the end of the day three cars were the victim of it, two cars heavily. I don’t know why, especially Charles in turn four, why he dives on the inside like that.

“To brake that late, what do you expect, Checo cannot see what is happening on the inside and he basically locked his wheel and understeered into me and because of that Checo was spinning backwards. I tried to go around the outside, try not damage my car, but there’s nothing you can do there.”

Leclerc has been summoned to the stewards to explain the incident but speaking soon after the collision he held his hands up and admitted that it was his mistake.

“I had seen Checo but I expected him to go around the outside of Valtteri and stay there but he decided after to come back on the inside and I was there and it was too late for me to slow down.

“I don’t think it’s a mistake from Checo, I am not putting the blame on Checo, if there’s anybody to blame today it’s me, but I would say it’s more unfortunate than a blame.”

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