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Critical Driving Mistake by Leclerc Makes Upcoming GPs Really Hot

Heading to Hungary for the next race on the Formula 1 calendar, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will be thinking about a costly error that wiped him out of yesterday's French Grand Prix on a steaming hot afternoon.
French GP 6 photos
Photo: F1
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His crash on Lap 18 allowed Dutchman Max Verstappen to take the lead and control the balance of the race. Leclerc gave up 25 points to Verstappen, who now leads the drivers' standings by 63 points. He emerged from his car unhurt, but humbled by what he described as just a mistake. The polesitter knows he can no longer keep giving up points.

On a blazing afternoon at Paul Ricard, tire management was expected to play a critical role in any level of success. After furious tight racing by Sergio Perez, George Russell, and Lewis Hamilton through the first 15 laps, second place Verstappen pitted on Lap 17 for hard tires. Returning to the circuit in sixth, and giving chase, Red Bull's strategy was gifted the Leclerc crash a lap later.

Verstappen would assume the lead as the safety car came out and Lando Norris, Hamilton, Russell, and Perez all pitted. Racing resumed on Lap 22 with Verstappen in the lead followed by Hamilton. He showed the speed of his Red Bull car by opening up a gap of three seconds in just five laps.

Wheel-to-wheel Formula 1 racing for third resulted in Russell and Perez coming together on Lap 42 with the Mercedes driver trying to pass Perez who was on worn tires. The stewards deemed the contact a racing issue and no penalties were handed out. Russell continued to hunt Perez and made a brilliant move around him on Lap 51. Perez would stay on Russell's tail until the very end finishing just 0.815s behind.

Verstappen would go on to win comfortably by 10.587s over second-place Hamilton. The race was the first 2-podium finish for the Silver Arrows this season.
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