Charles Leclerc to start ahead of Max Verstappen at the Belgian GP due to a loophole in the F1 rulebook
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Charles Leclerc
Red Bull has outsmarted Ferrari multiple times this season but now it looks like the Maranello based squad is fighting back. The team found a loophole in the rulebook which allows Charles Leclerc to start ahead of Max Verstappen in the Belgian Grand Prix. As you may know, both the title contenders are among the list of drivers that will be taking a grid penalty this weekend.
With Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen having to incur grid penalties, it was certain that both the title rivals would have to start from the back. Although the way in which Leclerc collected penalties is interesting to say the least. A small loophole in the regulations makes it possible for the Monegasque to stay ahead of his title rival . After almost a month long of summer break, both the drivers must be hungrier than every to race each other. Max Verstappen has an 80 point lead over Charles Leclerc and currently sits at the top of the driver standings. The Belgian Grand Prix weekend will determine how desperate Charles is to claw back onto the reigning world champion’s lead.
During FP1, Red Bull decided to change all of Max Verstappen’s components which lead to him being confirmed as one of the drivers that will start at the back of the grid. Ferrari paid careful attention to the parts that they have chosen and decided to not change them all at once. A strategy was put in place to change the components which in turn has played to the team’s advantage. When it comes to legality, there is nothing wrong with what Ferrari did with Charles Leclerc. According to the rules, when a driver receives more than 15 penalty places after changing parts, it automatically translates to a back of the grid start. Max Verstappen did so and will be starting from the back.
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Charles Leclerc and Ferrari took their penalties in a sneaky but smart manner
During FP1, Ferrari only changed Charles Leclerc’s MGU-K and his Energy store which meant and exact 15 place penalty for the Monegasque driver. In FP2, he received new control electronics. This meant an extra 5 place penalty but since the offences aren’t cumulative, Charles had gotten away with this. If he would have changed all his parts in FP1, he would have received a 20 place penalty which automising meant that he would start from the back. Now he will be fighting with Valtteri Bottas and Mick Schumacher to decide the 15th to 17th place spots on the grid for tomorrow’s race.
This is a very smart trick that Ferrari applied and could work wonders for Charles Leclerc. Although Max Verstappen is known to lay a charge from the back of the field pretty well. It will be interesting to see how the racing action unfolds at the Belgium Grand Prix tomorrow. This is a race that one cannot afford to miss.
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Varad Joshi
(940 Articles Published)