Was a phone present in Leclerc's cockpit?
In the thrilling race at Zandvoort, Charles Leclerc found himself embroiled in a series of incidents that tested both his driving skills and Ferrari's strategy.
Leclerc was frustrated with Ferrari's strategy, particularly the second pit stop, which came after Mercedes attempted an undercut. A delay in the tire change during this attempt allowed rookie driver Guanyu Zhou, driving for Alfa Romeo, to attack Leclerc, resulting in a collision that forced the Ferrari driver to park his damaged car at the scene of the accident. Zhou received a 10-second penalty for his failed attack during the race.
During their second duel, George Russell came off worse after contact with Leclerc. This incident was reviewed by the FIA stewards during a hearing with Leclerc following the race. However, the stewards decided not to impose a penalty for the next race in Monza, as they couldn't prove that Leclerc left the track during the maneuver.
Amidst the chaos, Leclerc made two successful overtakes on Russell, once on lap 3 and again on lap 31. In a surprising turn of events, Russell's damaged equipment caused him to fade into the distance, with Leclerc in his rearview mirror.
However, Leclerc's race was not without controversy. He was seen handling a mobile phone during the race, which is against Formula 1 rules. It remains unclear who Leclerc was trying to call and where he got the number from. The mobile phone was provided by a friendly photographer. Leclerc sat in the dunes during the rest of the race, watching from a distance.
Former Formula 1 driver Jacques Villeneuve was critical of Zhou's actions, stating that they were weak and uncalculated. Villeneuve also suggested that Ferrari's junior driver, Enzo Fittipaldi, might be too inexperienced for Formula 1, comparing his performance to that of a driver in Formula 4 or Formula 3.
Despite the opportunities presented by his rivals' mistakes, Leclerc failed to capitalize on Zhou's penalties, resulting in a zero in the last four races. The Zandvoort race was a reminder of the unpredictable nature of Formula 1, where even the most promising races can be marred by unexpected incidents and controversies.
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