Charles Leclerc has had a torrid 2023 season up until now. The Monegasque driver was looking forward to being more involved in the championship battle this year after fading away from the fight, late last season. However, after a string of dismal performances in the opening three races, a title fight looks like a distant dream for him.
After a DNF in Bahrain and a mediocre P7 finish in Saudi Arabia, Leclerc was hoping to bounce back in Australia. Ferrari is still not fast enough to challenge Red Bull for race wins, but Leclerc was optimistic about fighting the Mercedes and Aston Martin drivers.
For Leclerc, qualifying did not turn out to be fruitful. He started the Australian GP from seventh on the grid on Sunday, two places behind teammate Carlos Sainz. Unfortunately, his race came to an end on the third corner of the very first lap.
What happened to Charles Leclerc in Australia today?
Leclerc got off to a decent start in Albert Park on Sunday but was stuck behind the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll, who started one place ahead of him. While tussling for the position, Leclerc’s SF-23 made contact with Stroll’s car in turn three, which resulted in the former spinning off the track.
Leclerc got stuck in the gravel trap, bringing out the safety car, and ending his outing in Melbourne in a heartbreaking fashion.
