Back in 2012, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc raced against each other in the karting series. During one of the races, the two ended up colliding with each other. In the post-race interview, Leclerc called the coming together just an “incident” with an accent that fans recall even today. Reminiscing about the same, in a video uploaded on X by user Nini, Verstappen is seen detailing how he still teases Leclerc over it.
During one of the season’s races, Leclerc and Verstappen engaged in a fierce battle. They ended up in a collision, leaving both drivers disqualified and upset. Once their race ended, the drivers were making their way back to the tents. One of the field reporters caught hold of Leclerc and asked him about his collision with Verstappen. A 14-year-old Leclerc with a thick accent replied, “Nothing, just an inchident.”
More than a decade later, Verstappen and Leclerc are once again sharing the track as rivals. However, off the track, they share a good bond. Given the same, they often joke with each other, and Verstappen takes full advantage of it. The Dutchman doesn’t let Leclerc forget the ‘inchident incident’ and revealed he still jokes with Leclerc over it.
Leclerc’s iconic moment has since earned a cult status among fans. The old video went viral on social media, with fans losing their calm over the way Leclerc responded. It now lives on as a famous meme within the F1 community, with even the drivers chiming in from time to time.
When Charles Leclerc took out Max Verstappen after a race
During an interview, Leclerc once recalled the famous racing incident where he acted purely out of emotions. Leclerc was in second position and ahead of Verstappen when the Dutchman destroyed him. Leclerc fell to seventh position but put in a recovery drive to reclaim second position. However, it wasn’t enough for him. Leclerc wanted revenge, and even a chequered flag wasn’t enough to stop him.
charles talking about the “incident” with max in his karting days with ziggo sport pic.twitter.com/w1w6AhtzFC
— nini (@SCUDERIAFEMBOY) May 15, 2023
It was a rainy day, and the track was wet with a puddle here and there. Claiming he would remember the incident all his life, Leclerc described what unfolded after the race ended. Heading into a double right-hander, Leclerc noticed Verstappen watching him. The Monegasque deliberately pushed his kart and “touched” Verstappen’s.
As a result, Verstappen temporarily lost control of his kart and ended up in a puddle. Leclerc recalled Verstappen being completely drenched. A significant moment in their career, the act laid the foundation for an ever-lasting on-track rivalry between the two drivers.
