Charles Leclerc Suffers Carlos Sainz’s Vegas Fate as $2.2 Mn Loss Returns to Haunt at Bahrain

Day two of the 2024 F1 pre-season test has suddenly been brought to a screeching halt. On Wednesday, it was pretty much business as usual, as Max Verstappen made mincemeat of the rest of the grid. During the second session, disaster struck Scuderia Ferrari and Charles Leclerc. As it happened, the #16 driver clobbered a loose drain cover and severely damaged the underbelly of his car.

This pretty much meant that his session was over and the team could just feel the massive headache coming. The other 9 F1 teams were also adversely affected because the morning session was red-flagged after three hours of running. This would have been really costly, as many teams were probably testing multiple setups and seeing what made their cars tick. On the other hand, a loose drain cover is a massive safety hazard and a financial one as well.

The loose drain cover scene sounds awfully familiar for Ferrari

Rewind the clock to 16th November, at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. When the first practice session kicked off, things were running smoothly until Carlos Sainz Jr. struck a loose drain cover. Owing to the repairs needed, the session was stopped for good, and the second session was postponed until late at night. The repair job cost Ferrari around $2.2 million, but they rallied forth and Sainz Jr rewarded them with 6th place in the race.

Now, the Italian outfit will likely be facing a similar situation in Bahrain, this time with the other car. This time around, the team simply replaced the entire floor, which would have likely cost a fortune. It is also worth mentioning that the drain cover was loosened when future Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton ran over it. Mercedes could breathe a sigh of relief because Hamilton’s car was not damaged.

How have Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr been performing?

Before his accident, the Monegasque driver completed 36 laps and clocked 189 km with a fastest lap of 1:31.750. For the afternoon session, the team confirmed that Leclerc would complete the remainder of his program. From that point onwards, he would pit and Carlos Sainz Jr. would take over driving duties in the Scuderia Ferrari.

Read More: Ferrari Suffers $2.2 Mn Hit After Carlos Sainz’s Manhole Debacle at Las Vegas GP

Hopefully for everyone’s sake, that the afternoon session goes off without a hitch. Charles Leclerc will undoubtedly want to make up for lost time, and Sainz Jr will want to make the most of his own session. Additionally, all the other teams, whose programs were interrupted by the red flag, will also want to make up for the lost time.

Watch This Story | From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen: How F1 Drivers train