
During the Australian GP, chaos unfolded for Ferrari as well, with Charles Leclerc battling not only on-track difficulties but also a seat filled with water, leading to a team radio exchange that took on a comically tragic tone. By mid-race, things were going from bad to worse for the Maranello squad.
With McLaren flying ahead and Lewis Hamilton stuck behind Alexander Albon for half the race, Charles Leclerc was engaged in a fight with George Russell—while also dealing with an unexpected issue with his own seat. As the Monegasque tried to keep up with the Mercedes in the battle for fourth, he reported a problem, but the radio exchange quickly went viral.
Charles Leclerc’s seat fills with water in Australia: the team radio goes viral
The heavy rain at Albert Park caused unexpected issues inside the cockpit of Ferrari’s number 16, which was literally filling with water. Charles Leclerc reported the situation to the pit wall, but his exchange with engineer Bryan Bozzi didn’t go unnoticed.
*”Is there a leak?”* Charles Leclerc asked, to which his engineer replied, *”A leak of what?”* At that point, the Monegasque explained that his cockpit was filling with water. Bozzi then responded, *”It could be water.”* Leclerc’s comeback was instantly memorable: *”Let’s add that one to the list of wisdom pearls.”*
Charles Leclerc’s remark masked a frustration that wasn’t all that well hidden. Until Fernando Alonso’s off-track excursion triggered a Safety Car past the halfway mark, Leclerc’s Ferrari was trailing the two McLarens by nearly 30 seconds—proof that the Woking team seemed to be on another level entirely.
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