Leclerc didn't know Vettel's penalty because Ferrari 'forgot'

Ferrari have admitted they "forgot" to tell Charles Leclerc that team-mate Sebastian Vettel had been given a five-second time penalty at the Canadian Grand Prix in just the latest evidence of a disconnect between the two sides of the Scuderia garage.

Vettel crossed the line first in Montreal, but the win was handed to Lewis Hamilton after a penalty was applied to the German's time for re-joining the track unsafely in front of the Mercedes.

Hamilton kept in behind Vettel to the finish line, while Leclerc made ground late on, an almost had second place – finishing just six seconds behind his team-mate.

Although Ferrari were under no obligation to keep Leclerc far back enough to ensure Vettel only lost one place, the Monegasque said he wasn't even made aware that anything had happened.

"I was not aware at all, no, I pushed but I didn't know what was going on in front," said Leclerc.

SOUND ON ?#CanadianGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/jkKprIAixD

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 9, 2019

"I didn't know Seb had a penalty, I was pushing to be there if there was an opportunity but I was not aware about the five second penalty, I was doing my own race."

It's not the first time that Leclerc and Vettel's teams have been so split.

Both drivers were given team orders at a somewhat farcical Spanish Grand Prix for the Scuderia, with both drivers claiming they were not told what strategy the other was on.

Explaining the latest miscommunication, team principal Mattia Binotto made the stark admission that it simply did not occur to Ferrari to let Leclerc know what was happening ahead.

"We didn't [tell Leclerc], it was a mistake on our side," Binotto said. "We were very busy on the pit wall and we forgot. We should have done, but we didn't."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

George Russell battled failure in Mercedes F1 car during Austrian GP victory

• 42 minutes ago

F1 News Today: Mercedes in FIA breach at Austrian GP as Verstappen gives Russell the finger

• 1 hour ago

Max Verstappen plans two-month sabbatical after Austrian Grand Prix crash

• 1 hour ago

Fernando Alonso hit with FIA penalty for going too fast at Austrian Grand Prix

• 2 hours ago

F1 Results Today: Austrian Grand Prix times and positions after Max Verstappen masterclass

• Today 16:34

F1 Standings: Title race latest as Ferrari flop at Austrian Grand Prix and Verstappen roars back

• Today 16:30