Charles Leclerc has reportedly suffered physical injuries following his heavy shunt at the Italian Grand Prix. The condition has forced Ferrari to place backup options on standby ahead of the next round in Madrid. The situation echoes Ferrari's long history of dealing with mid-season driver changes.
Ferrari is not alone in having needed to replace a driver due to health or injury. The 2020 season, heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, serves as a prime example of how teams throughout the paddock were forced to adapt with minimal notice. Throughout Formula 1 history, Ferrari has made 11 in-season driver changes. In 1989, Ferrari even approached Mario Andretti to replace Gerhard Berger after a horrific crash at Imola, but he declined, so Ferrari ran a single-car entry in Monaco.
In 1957, Wolfgang von Trips was called up to replace Cesare Perdisa, who chose to retire from racing after a heavy crash in pre-season testing at Modena. Von Trips went on to become a regular Ferrari driver. In 1968, Derek Bell stepped in for Andrea de Adamich, who suffered a severe neck injury at the non-championship Race of Champions. Ferrari was running three cars at the time, and Bell only joined at the ninth round, the Italian Grand Prix.
In 1972, Clay Regazzoni broke his arm playing football, opening the door for Arturo Merzario's debut at the British Grand Prix. Merzario finished sixth in Britain and 12th in Germany. In 1976, Carlos Reutemann was recruited from Martini Racing to replace Niki Lauda, who suffered a horrific crash at the Nurburgring. However, because Lauda recovered faster than expected, Ferrari ended up fielding three cars at the Italian Grand Prix.
Tragedy struck Ferrari in 1982. Patrick Tambay was called up to fill the seat of Gilles Villeneuve, who died in a crash at the Belgian Grand Prix. Tambay then joined Ferrari for several races. This list shows that Ferrari has a long history of dealing with emergency situations, and now they are faced with a similar scenario with Leclerc.
The impact of Leclerc's injury could be significant for the team's performance in Madrid. If Leclerc cannot race, Ferrari may have to rely on a reserve driver who might be less experienced. This could affect constructors' points, especially if rivals such as Red Bull Racing and Mercedes continue to be competitive. The team's decision in the coming days will be crucial.
Ferrari has not yet issued an official statement regarding Leclerc's condition. However, speculation about who will fill the seat if Leclerc is absent is beginning to swirl. Names like Antonio Giovinazzi and Mick Schumacher have been mentioned as candidates. The team will monitor Leclerc's progress before making a final decision.
Baca Juga
Charles Leclerc cedera usai kecelakaan di Monza, Ferrari siapkan pembalap cadangan untuk Madrid. Simak sejarah pergantian pembalap Ferrari di tengah musim.
Karun Chandhok menilai keputusan Kimi Antonelli bergabung dengan Mercedes alih-alih Ferrari sebagai langkah tepat untuk mengurangi tekanan di awal karier F1-nya.
Audi resmi ajukan banding atas hasil GP Italia yang melibatkan Yuki Tsunoda. Insiden lap formasi tambahan di Monza berujung pada potensi perubahan posisi poin.
Lanjutkan dengan Google
Diskusi & Komentar (0)
Mari Bergabung dalam Diskusi!
Masuk dengan mudah untuk mulai memberikan komentar, membalas, dan berinteraksi dengan pembaca lainnya.
Komentar Terbaru
Belum ada komentar. Jadilah yang pertama!