Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, faced a surprising pit stop mishap that quickly caught the attention of Formula 1 fans ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. During a promotional event with Puma, Leclerc attempted to perform a simulated pit stop, revealing just how challenging the task is for professional pit crews.
Leclerc Struggles During Promotional Pit Stop Challenge
At the event, Leclerc took control of the wheel gun used in Formula 1 pit stops, but his effort exposed the complexity and speed required during race conditions. The crowd watched as the Monegasque driver struggled to remove and attach the wheels correctly, with time ticking past 20 seconds—far slower than the high-speed stops expected in a grand prix. His visible frustration grew as the seconds slipped by without success.
A video capturing the moment went viral on social media, leading one fan on the platform X to joke,
“Charles Leclerc will start, from the Singapore GP onwards, to do his own pit stops! And he’ll fail completely, as you can see.”
Ferrari’s Pit Crew Performance Under Pressure Alongside Other Teams
While Ferrari’s official pit crew swiftly manages pit stops during races, Leclerc’s display served as a reminder of their skill. Ferrari will certainly hope their crew does not take any cues from the simulated struggle, especially with the Singapore Grand Prix underway. Pressure to maintain flawless stops is high across teams, as evidenced by McLaren’s recent pit stop difficulties.
At the Baku Grand Prix, McLaren’s pit lane work for Lando Norris faltered when a front right wheel issue caused delays that pushed him behind rivals Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. The previous race at Monza saw Norris enduring another slow stop due to a front left tire problem, resulting in him falling behind teammate Oscar Piastri. To manage this situation, McLaren controversially swapped the drivers’ positions so Norris could finish ahead after holding second place for much of the race.
Singapore Pit Lane Incident Further Complicates Race Weekend
During the second practice session (FP2) at the Singapore Grand Prix, Ferrari and McLaren again faced challenges in the pit lane. Two red flags interrupted the session at Marina Bay Circuit, and shortly after, Ferrari released Leclerc into the path of Norris. The two collided in the pit lane, an incident serious enough to earn them summons to the stewards later in the evening.
The governing body of Formula 1 imposed a €10,000 fine on Ferrari due to the incident, signaling the costly consequences teams face when pit lane protocols fail. The clash not only disrupted the practice session but also added tension to the weekend, with the teams and drivers under intense scrutiny.
This event follows other notable headlines at the Singapore GP, including McLaren announcing a driver departure and investigations into collisions and fires involving other competitors. Lewis Hamilton’s absence from the race has also put additional focus on Leclerc and Ferrari’s performance throughout the weekend.
What This Means Moving Forward
The difficulties experienced by Charles Leclerc, both in a simulated pit stop and during Friday’s practice session, underscore how critical precision and timing are in Formula 1’s high-stakes environment. Ferrari will need to maintain tight teamwork and flawless execution as the race progresses, especially with Lewis Hamilton not present to share the load.
Meanwhile, the ongoing challenges for McLaren and other teams emphasize that even top drivers and pit crews face pressure and setbacks under race conditions. With fines and investigations following pit and on-track incidents, the Singapore Grand Prix weekend illustrates the fine margins that define success and failure in Formula 1 competition.
BREAKING: charles leclerc will start, from the singapore gp onwards, to do his own pitstops!
(and he'll fail completely, as you can see) pic.twitter.com/SP8qSNBSb3
— clara (@leclercsletters) September 30, 2025
