Charles Leclerc says 'I would do the same again' when questioned about George Russell overtake

Charles Leclerc believes his move on George Russell in the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix was justified, given that Ferrari and Mercedes are locked in a close battle in the Constructors’ Championship. Speaking to Sky Sports, the Ferrari driver was defiant, stating that he would make the same move again in the future.

Leclerc overtook Russell for fifth place by crossing the white line. Since the move fell into a grey area between what was permitted and what was not, the incident was referred to the stewards. After a lengthy review with both drivers, the stewards deemed the case inconclusive and opted to take no further action.

Reflecting on the overtake, Leclerc described it as aggressive but fair racing, noting the high stakes of the championship fight for second place. At the time, unaware of the stewards’ verdict, the Monegasque admitted he did not expect a penalty.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the race, Charles Leclerc said:

“I don't expect anything from it. I have to be aggressive, we're fighting for second place in the constructors with Mercedes. I would do the same again in other races, but we'll see what the stewards will say.’

McLaren are currently leading the Constructors Standings as they have aggregated 584 points.

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Charles Leclerc believes that Kimi Antonelli made a miscalculated error

Charles Leclerc believes Kimi Antonelli misjudged his move into the embankment section while attempting an overtake. The Mercedes rookie tried to pass the Ferrari at that point on the circuit, but the two cars collided, forcing Leclerc into retirement.

While describing the attempt as aggressive, Leclerc admitted it was the kind of move he himself would have made, similar to his earlier battle with George Russell. Although he rued retiring from the race, the Monegasque acknowledged that such manoeuvres are part of hard racing. Antonelli was handed a ten-second penalty for the incident and ultimately finished outside the points.

Asked about the incident with Antonelli, Charles Leclerc said in response to a question by Sky F1:

“You've got to be incisive and aggressive to make a pass. And that's what I've done as well against George. That's what Kimi tried to do on myself. But I think, he probably misjudged it and kind of, yeah, I mean ruined my race, so it's a shame, but is the way it is."

Ferrari suffered a double retirement as both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton failed to finish the race, costing the team valuable points in the championship battle against Mercedes and Red Bull. Despite the setback, Ferrari remains second in the Constructors’ standings on 260 points, though their advantage has narrowed. Mercedes now trails by just 12 points, while Red Bull sits 46 points behind.