Charles Leclerc‘s crash at the Monaco Grand Prix 2025 occurred less than 10 minutes into the first practice session, when his Ferrari collided with the rear of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. The incident near the famous Fairmont Hairpin forced a red flag, briefly halting the session on the notoriously tight and challenging street circuit.
Stroll had just allowed another driver on a flying lap to pass before moving back onto the racing line, unaware that Leclerc was also attempting to overtake. This misjudgment led to Leclerc hitting the back of Stroll’s car, resulting in damage to the Ferrari’s front wing and disrupting preparations for both drivers early in the weekend.
Impact on Drivers and Teams During FP1
Leclerc immediately returned to the pits for repairs and was able to resume running once the red flag was lifted after about five minutes. Conversely, Aston Martin’s Stroll required more extensive work on his car and remained in the garage during that period. The early interruption was particularly unwelcome given Monaco’s narrow track, where practice sessions are crucial to setting up performance and avoiding the tight barriers.
On team radio, Leclerc expressed his frustration, stating,
“Come on… uh we crashed, I don’t think he was aware about the blue flags.”
—Charles Leclerc, Ferrari driver
Sky Sports F1 commentator Karun Chandhok weighed in live, attributing responsibility by saying,
“That’s 100 per cent on Lance and the team to be honest.”
—Karun Chandhok, Sky Sports F1 commentator
Session Resumes Amid Tension and Pressure
After the red flag, the session resumed without further immediate incident, but tension remained high as teams scrambled to assess damage and adjust their strategies at this critical stage. The Monaco Grand Prix’s tight street circuit leaves little room for error, so this early collision raised concerns ahead of qualifying and race day.
With Charles Leclerc crash Monaco Grand Prix 2025 under the spotlight, both Ferrari and Aston Martin must recover quickly to stay competitive. How this incident influences their setups and performance in the coming sessions will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike.
