During the formation lap for the Brazilian GP, Charles Leclerc unexpectedly lost control of his Ferrari and crashed into the wall, abruptly ending his race. Leclerc has hinted at knowing the cause of the problem, but has chosen not to disclose further information.
Leclerc revealed after the race that he experienced a loss of power steering followed by the engine shutting down for safety reasons. This caused the rear tires to lock up, resulting in the spin and loss of control.
Although it initially seemed like a hydraulic issue, Leclerc stated that discussions with the team’s engineers have ruled out this possibility. While Ferrari knows the cause, Leclerc prefers to keep the details under wraps.
Leclerc attempted to continue driving despite the damages, which were limited to the front wing. He managed to restart briefly, with the hydraulics functioning for about 15 seconds, before encountering the same problem again and stalling the engine.
It quickly became evident that progressing further was impossible, as Leclerc only managed to travel approximately 20 meters before the issue recurred. His race was ultimately over, leaving him unable to continue.