Charles Leclerc is thanking his lucky stars after surviving a bone-rattling 60G crash at the Italian Grand Prix – but the Ferrari star isn’t taking any chances with his health just yet.
The 28-year-old Monegasque driver spun out at the infamous Parabolica curve on just the third lap in Monza, slamming hard into the tyre barrier. It was the same spot where he had a scary crash six years ago.
Leclerc got out of his car on his own but looked visibly stunned. He sat down on the grass, holding his head as medical crews rushed over. After a checkup at the circuit’s medical centre, he was cleared of any major injuries.
Speaking about the impact, Leclerc admitted that his vision was blurry at first. “The neck was OK, it was just the vision a little bit at first,” he said. “The right eye was not showing me great vision, but now it’s all good.”
He added that he’s feeling some general soreness, which is expected after such a violent hit.
Despite the scare, Leclerc is confident he’ll be behind the wheel in Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix. “I think I’ll have quite a few additional checks that we still have to do… to make sure that I’ll be fully fine for Madrid,” he explained.
“It should be the case, but better be safe than sorry.”
He hinted that a mechanical issue might have caused the spin, saying there was “a difference in power delivery,” but stopped short of making any firm conclusions. Instead, he’s focused on moving forward. “Yeah, it’s very frustrating, but it’s the way it is now…
I’ll have to look forward and hopefully bounce back in Madrid.”
Leclerc’s early exit opened the door for Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli to steal the show. Starting from the back of the grid, the young Italian pulled off a stunning win on home soil, overtaking his own teammate George Russell in the final laps.
Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, could only manage sixth place. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the final podium spot, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished ahead of him. Pole-sitter Pierre Gasly rounded out the top seven for Alpine.
Antonelli couldn’t contain his joy after the race. “Unbelievable! I am so happy and I could have never imagined to be here today,” he said.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called him “our Italian hero” over team radio.
With the Spanish GP just days away, all eyes will be on Leclerc to see if he can bounce back from this nightmare weekend.
