"Oh no, I don't want to join Max Verstappen": Charles Leclerc's hilarious reaction for using the F-word
Charles Leclerc hilariously reacted to him accidentally using the F-word during the 2024 F1 Mexican GP post-race press conference. He said that he did not want to join Max Verstappen's camp by swearing during a press conference.
During the 2024 F1 Singapore GP, Verstappen used an expletive to explain the situation of his car. Since this was openly said in the press conference, the defending world champion was penalized and asked to do some work of public interest.
Fast forward to US GP and Charles Leclerc also lost control of the car in the latter stages of the race, which allowed McLaren's Lando Norris to overtake him. He said that after he lost control, his car oversteered left and right. He expressed his emotion through an expletive.
The Ferrari driver then suddenly realized his mistake and laughed while apologizing. He humorously referred to Max Verstappen for the offense.
"I lost the rear and then you forget about Lando and you just hope that you are going to take it back. I had one oversteer and then when I recovered from that oversteer, I had an oversteer from the other side and then I was like, ‘f**k’. Oh, sorry! Oh, no, oh no! I don't want to join Max!" Leclerc said.
Mexican GP race winner Carlos Sainz, who was also present in the post-race press conference, hilariously asked Leclerc whether he had his wallet with him to pay the fine for swearing.
"You have your wallet here?" Sainz joked.
As of now, the FIA has not released any statement on Leclerc's use of an expletive during the Mexican GP press conference. The Monegasque managed to finish P3 in Mexico City after winning his third race of the 2024 F1 season in Austin.
Charles Leclerc on his chances to challenge for the 2024 F1 drivers' championship
Charles Leclerc talked about his chances of challenging for the 2024 F1 drivers' championship against Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
Speaking in the Mexican GP post-race press conference, the Ferrari star initially explained how Norris and Verstappen's on-track tussles have helped him gain an advantage in recent races. He then admitted that his main fight is for second place in the table with Norris, rather than the top spot with Verstappen.
Leclerc believes that aiming for a driver's championship was not realistic.
"I welcome Max being as aggressive to Lando as possible because it helps me, at least it gives me chances to be closer to Lando in the Drivers' Championship because it's still a fight. If anything, it's more a fight, Lando and myself, than with Max that has quite a lot of advantages in points," he said.
"On my side, I don't think about the Drivers' Championship, realistically. As I was saying earlier, I think first the approach is not to start thinking about the Drivers' Championship. That doesn't help me achieve anything more. It's by focusing race by race," he added.
Charles Leclerc is currently third in the table with 291 points and is chasing second-placed Lando Norris with 315 points. Meanwhile, defending world champion Max Verstappen leads the table with 362 points.