Charles Leclerc will not start the sprint race in Miami after crashing out in wet conditions during the reconnaissance lap.
Rain fell at the Miami International Autodrome three-quarters of an hour before the race was due to begin. The rain intensified as teams began to send their cars out of the pit lane to complete their reconnaissance laps and head to the grid.
Ferrari sent both its cars out of the pits on intermediate tyres. Leclerc, who was due to start the race from sixth on the grid, was among the first to join the track.
However the rain worsened as Leclerc toured the circuit. At turn 10, a gentle left-hand sweep normally taken flat-out, he appeared to hit a patch of water and skidded into the wall on the outside.
“No, no,” exclaimed Leclerc on the radio. “I will try to go back. I had complete aquaplaning. I was not even pushing.”
The impact caused heavy damage to the right-hand side of Leclerc’s car. He tried to drive back to the pits but more parts fell off his car as he reached turn 11. “I don’t think I can go back,” he told his team on the radio before coming to a stop at turn 16. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry.”
Leclerc’s team mate Lewis Hamilton was unimpressed with the team’s choice of rubber. “I don’t know how you put us out on inters here,” he told them on his radio.
The remaining drivers completed their reconnaissance laps and are due to start the race. With Yuki Tsunoda starting from the pit lane, 18 cars will line up on the grid. Despite the conditions, race control has not given any indication the start of the race will be postponed.
This article will be updated.
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