Charles Leclerc spun off the circuit on lap 65 of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, pulling the second safety‑car to the lonely streets of Monte Carlo.
Crash forces safety‑car in Monaco
The Monegasque driver lost control at the final corner while seeking a clean line onto the straight that had just cleared after Lance Stroll’s lap 60 mishap. Leclerc shouted over team radio, “I’m not even going to take the blame! These f***ing brakes!” Yet no confirmation links the incident to the car’s braking system.
Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle described the turn of events as a possible warning about the tarmac: “It’s almost a carbon copy of Stroll. Something is going on at that piece of tarmac.”
Aftermath: inspection and red flag
The collective Ferrari car was swiftly cleared from the track, and the FIA deployed a red flag. The remaining field clustered in the fast lane of the pit lane while officials examined the surface at Turn 19.
Leclerc’s exit marked the sixth retirement or crash in the race’s history, lining up with Max Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, Oliver Bearman, Lando Norris and Stroll.
Leclerc’s suspension and past retirements
Having eyed a third podium of the year, Leclerc lost a chance to join Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli, who were leading at the time of the accident. The incident adds another chapter to the driver’s track‑side woes at Monaco.
With the circuit under scrutiny, teams and the FIA will monitor the track‑surface closely before the race resumes, underscoring the relentless scrutiny that defines the Monaco Grand Prix.
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