Nov.5 (GMM) Charles Leclerc will miss Thursday’s media duties at Interlagos after rushing back to Monaco following the Mexican GP for the birth of his daughter Bianca.
Leclerc and partner Alexandra announced the birth on Instagram, with the Ferrari driver now travelling back to Brazil in time for the race weekend.
La Repubblica reports that Leclerc will only miss Thursday’s media day.
“And that’s probably even better for him,” the newspaper noted, given that questions about his Mexico clash with Lewis Hamilton “would have been inevitable.”
Leclerc will also sit out FP1, although that was already planned.
Dino Beganovic will drive his Ferrari in the opening session, with Rafael Camara no longer available for the originally expected appearance after being promoted into Esteban Ocon’s Haas race seat.
Meanwhile, criticism of Ferrari’s handling of its drivers continues apace.
Former Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene told Sky Italia that Leclerc came off second-best against Hamilton in Mexico in more than one way.
“We mustn’t forget – Leclerc was up against Hamilton, who brings enormous experience and cleverness,” he said.
“Both braked too late in the decisive moment, but Lewis had the experience to stay on the track, while Leclerc made a fool of himself.”
Arrivabene also said Ferrari now appears divided internally.
“Two drivers in the same box, but we see two different camps,” he stated.
He urged Frederic Vasseur to assert control.
“The team principal has to be the team principal, and the driver has to be the driver,” said Arrivabene. “You are drivers and therefore employees of Ferrari. Period.”
Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo also said the incidents at Monza and Mexico “should make us reflect”, while Nico Rosberg warned that if Vasseur does not intervene, “the drivers will take matters into their own hands.”
Autosprint magazine was even harsher: “We have the car, but not the drivers or the team.”
Sky Italia presenter Mara Sangiorgio said Ferrari chairman John Elkann was also unimpressed.
“Vasseur publicly criticised both of his drivers in Mexico, and Elkann was certainly not happy after what he saw, also because the missed opportunities are starting to add up,” she said.