Charles Leclerc addresses 'easy to blame' decision in Miami unravelling

Charles Leclerc has defended Ferrari after his Miami Grand Prix came apart at the seams, insisting it is "easy to blame" his afternoon falling apart on strategy.

The Monegasque driver lined up third in Florida, but jumped into the lead in the opening corners when polesitter Kimi Antonelli ran wide and Max Verstappen spun.

It set up an enthralling three-driver battle for victory between Leclerc, the Mercedes driver and Lando Norris, who started fourth.

However, the eight-time grand prix winner fell out of contention when he pitted early. Ferrari brought him in at the end of Lap 21, whilst running third and in the fight, to cover off a stop by George Russell, who came in the lap prior from fifth — although Leclerc was already slipping into the clutches of Oscar Piastri behind him.

It was a slow stop, and it proved to be the wrong call, with Antonelli and the McLaren staying out until Lap 26 and Lap 27, respectively, of the 57-lap race.

Leclerc, meanwhile, had been successfully undercut by Russell and spent almost 10 laps trying to pass the British driver, losing considerable time in the process.

He eventually recovered, engaging in an entertaining battle with Piastri for the final podium position, but dropped his SF-26 at the start of the final lap.

The 28-year-old spun in Turn 3, kissing the wall on the exit. It was enough to damage his car. He tried in vain to get his ailing car across the line before being swallowed up by Russell and Verstappen, but ultimately failed in that mission, taking the chequered flag in sixth.

With his Ferrari unable to properly navigate the right-hand corners, Leclerc was forced to cut multiple turns, something which landed him a 20-second time penalty post-race, dropping him to eighth, behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto.

Prior to visiting the stewards and receiving his punishment, he was asked by media, including RacingNews365, if he could have secured a podium with a different strategy.

"I think that without the mistake, I could have got a podium, more than the strategy," he replied. "I think it's easy to blame it on the strategy, [but] after a while, even with the best strategy, with that mistake in the last lap, I probably wouldn't have been on the podium.

"So first I'll look at myself, and then surely I'll speak with the team to try and improve whatever we haven't optimised."