Charles Leclerc’s “clearly irregular” move sparks controversy ahead of 2025 F1 Italian GP. Charles Leclerc’s controversial move on George Russell at Zandvoort resurfaces ahead of the F1 Italian GP.

A “clearly irregular” move by Charles Leclerc sparked debate, with many saying he should have been penalized: the controversy around Ferrari and the Monegasque driver is back ahead of the F1 Italian Grand Prix.

As Formula 1 prepares for the Italian GP at Monza, echoes of Zandvoort still linger over Ferrari and Charles Leclerc. The overtaking maneuver on George Russell, which the race stewards ultimately decided not to penalize, has returned to the spotlight. According to the British driver, in light of the new footage now available to race officials, it is clear that the Monegasque’s move was irregular.

For days, the topic dominated discussions. Some described it as “an overtaking move from another era,” others hailed Charles Leclerc as “one of the few true drivers left,” while some, taking an opposing view, criticized the Monegasque sharply. Charles Leclerc’s move on George Russell at Zandvoort created drama both on and off the track. It was a bold, aggressive attack that for a moment recalled the Formula 1 of the past.

The FIA stewards investigated the incident thoroughly, consulting both drivers involved. In the end, no penalty was applied: there was insufficient evidence to prove the fault of car #16, accused of exceeding track limits. A few days later, new footage emerged that, this time, would seem sufficient to justify a sanction.

Russell: “I’ve always been confident about the dynamics”

Speaking to journalists at Monza, the Mercedes driver explained his point of view: “It seemed clear that he went off, but at the time there wasn’t any footage or photograph that clearly showed he was beyond the track limits. I had no doubt in my mind because I knew I was on the white line myself. But I understand their perspective.”

“Obviously now we’ve seen images that clearly show he was off track. I don’t think any further clarification is necessary. Sometimes decisions are correct, other times you simply don’t have all the necessary information,” the British driver emphasized, adding that he now considers the controversy closed.