F1 2025: Ferrari star Charles Leclerc OUT at Miami Grand Prix after pre-race crash in wet conditions

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Saudi Arabia, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

Miami Grand Prix Sprint

Ferrari F1 star OUT at Miami Grand Prix after pre-race crash in wet conditions

Charles Leclerc crashed out of the sprint race before it had even begun

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 3 May 2025 17:45 Updated: 20:56

Ferrari star Charles Leclerc is out of the Miami Grand Prix sprint race after a crash on his way to the grid.

With sprint race action set to kick off at 12 noon ET, heavy rain began to fall less than an hour before the race, with cars forced to prepare their wet and intermediate tires as a result.

On his way to the grid for pre-race preparations, Leclerc was sent out on the intermediate tire, but aquaplaned straight into the barriers as the heavens opened on his way around the track.

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Leclerc will hope his Ferrari mechanics can repair the damage in time for grand prix qualifying later this afternoon.

Ferrari woes continue

The team sit down in fourth in the constructors' championship after a disappointing start to the season, and don't seem to have an answer for McLaren and Mercedes' early season pace.

Leclerc's incident was noted by stewards, due to an 'unsafe' element, as debris seemed to fly up and over the bridge above the circuit during the crash. Whether that 'unsafe' element is against the circuit or against Ferrari is unknown at this moment.

"No, no! Complete aquaplaning - I was not even pushing hard," Leclerc told his team over the radio after the crash.

Ferrari Mercedes McLaren Charles Leclerc Miami Grand Prix