Charles Leclerc repeatedly swore at his Ferrari team over the radio before issuing an immediate apology at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
When consoled by race engineer Bryan Bozzi shortly after crossing the line in fourth, Leclerc was told he made the right decisions even if he did not get the rewards.
And the driver furiously replied: “Yes whatever you want. As always. Yeah I did my job. But speaking nice, f**** me all the f***ing time. All the f***ing time. It’s not being nice, it’s just being respectful, I know I need to shut up but at one point is always the same so, oh my f***ing god.”
Leclerc was repeatedly told that he “did the right thing for the team” as Carlos Sainz took a podium position behind race winner George Russell and runner-up Lewis Hamilton, before being told to “pick up”.
He then hit back: “F***ing pick up what the f*** you want. And the radio is on, I am sorry.”
The 27-year-old made a strong start to the race, immediately moving up to P2 behind Russell and attempted to overtake the Brit, but was quickly pushed back and even had a plastic bag caught in his car before pitting.
He was forced to watch on as his rivals celebrated in Vegas, with Max Verstappen winning a fourth consecutive world championship and Russell taking the race victory.
Leclerc will feel that he should have been in similar positions, with team-mate Sainz admitting that a P3 finish was the most that Ferrari could have hoped for.
“It was a bit of a shock with the mediums,” Sainz said in the post-race interviews. “I expected strong to be on this tyre but it lasted eight laps.
“From then onwards it was a damage limitation race. I was not comfortable with the car and not strong today. I wish I was a bit quicker and fighting with George for the win but we didn’t have it. We came back with a P3 which was the maximum we could do today.”
The FIA may not be best pleased with Leclerc’s swearing over the team radio, despite his apology, after a recent clampdown by president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
However, he is unlikely to be punished as the federation have largely come down on drivers for foul language during their press conferences, rather than in the heat of battle on the grid.
