Charles Leclerc brings out Italian Grand Prix red flag with heavy crash
6th September 2026Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has brought out an early red flag at the Italian Grand Prix having crashed out on the third lap at the Parabolica.
Feature image credit: Ferrari Media Centre
Ferrari’s home race at the Italian temple of speed, Monza, has not gone as planned for the Scuderia after Leclerc has crashed out of the race early on at the final corner, commonly known as Parabolica.
The Monegasque had dropped from third overall to fourth, finding himself in an on-track battle with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, after tussling with his own teammate, Lewis Hamilton.
However, as the pack started to curve around the final corner, the #16 Ferrari ran wide onto the green edge of the circuit. The Scuderia started to slide under acceleration towards the pit straight before diving across the gravel.
Leclerc suffered a heavy shunt into the tyre barrier, prompting a safety car intervention before the red flag was flown. Thankfully, the Monegasque was okay and was seen climbing out of his wrecked Ferrari.
Ferrari still have a car in the race, with Hamilton still on track, albeit down in eighth having lost six places after the opening chicane. However, in the opening lap tussle, Hamilton believed Leclerc had forced him off the circuit.
The seven-time world champion was left with no space, around the outside of the turn one and two chicane in his battle with Leclerc and dropped to 10th. However, after the opening laps, Hamilton made up two more positions – benefiting from Leclerc’s crash.
It also marks another event of Leclerc’s visit to this specific barrier. In 2020, Leclerc had a similar moment at the same part of the Italian circuit and crashed into the Parabolica – again, prompting a red flag stop.
As it currently stands, Mercedes’ George Russell currently leads the Italian GP ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
With Hamilton down in eighth, the biggest challengers to the 2026 drivers title (Russell and Hamilton) remain ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, the current championship leader, who sits 12th overall, having started in 19th with an engine penalty at his home event.
Huge impact for Charles 🎥
A reminder that he’s out of the car and okay#F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/AYTRyQn0gI
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 6, 2026
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
