F1: Canadian GP, ​​Leclerc penalized by 10 positions

(ANSA) - MONTRÉAL, JUN 17 - Monegasque Charles Leclerc will start on Sunday with ten penalty places at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal because Ferrari decided to replace an element of its car in addition to the quota allowed per season.

    After the engine failure of the Azerbaijani GP last Sunday, Ferrari had to replace several parts of the engine of Charles Leclerc's car, considered "irreparable".

On Friday, before the first session, a first battery of gearboxes on the single-seater was announced, which were within the limits allowed during a season.

But at the end of the day, while Leclerc had set the second time in the second free practice session behind championship leader Max Verstappen (Red Bull), a well-known FIA announced a new gearbox for Ferrari, this time as regards the control electronics. of the engine.

The third of this type used by the Scuderia since the beginning of the season, against the two authorized for each season.

For this infringement the regulation provides for ten penalty places.

    "It is obvious that we are not in the best possible situation", the rider observed yesterday about this penalty that hovered over his helmet.

"It's up to us to choose the best circuit" to take this penalty, he went on, explaining that Montreal was an option for overtaking chances.

    Leclerc is 34 points behind Verstappen before the ninth GP out of 22 in the world championship, the fault in particular of two retirements due to mechanical problems in Spain and Baku.

(HANDLE).