© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc says if Max Verstappen isn’t penalised for running Lewis Hamilton off the track “then overtaking around the outside is going to be very difficult”.
Max Verstappen ran Lewis Hamilton wide and off the track at the Brazilian Grand Prix and went unpunished by the FIA.
After onboard footage from Verstappen’s car surfaced, Mercedes decided to request a review of the incident.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc says he is waiting to see what the FIA will decide, because it will dictate how he will drive in the future.
He himself had a close encounter with the Dutch driver at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix, when Verstappen nudged him off the road and went unpunished. Leclerc says he started to drive differently after that.
“You always need to adapt to every situation, every decision the stewards are doing,” said Leclerc.
“As soon as I knew that it wasn’t a penalty for Max in Austria, I came to Silverstone and I changed my driving.
“So I think that’s a bit the same for every driver, we will always try to race at the limits of what we’re allowed to do. And that’s what I will do if in case these things are allowed.
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“Austria it was a bit of a different situation again, and after that we could race a bit harder, which I think was good for F1, for the show.
“This situation was another one. I’ll leave it to the stewards to just see what they think.”
Leclerc says he doesn’t care what the decision will be, but he says if this is allowed, it will make overtaking on the outside very difficult in the future.
“Honestly, I really don’t mind. But whatever is allowed, then I just want it to be clear as a driver. That’s the only thing that matters to me.
“If this is allowed, then overtaking around the outside is going to be very difficult. But yeah, whatever the situation, the decision is, I’ll just adapt my driving to it.
“So I’m fine with both,” Leclerc concluded.
