Leclerc avoids engine penalty after impact above 50g

Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari protected its power unit despite the Monza crash, which happened at more than 230 km/h and produced deceleration above 50g. Ferrari will replace the transmission casing, but does not need a complete new power unit that would have sent Leclerc toward the back of the grid in Madrid.

That matters after a race in which Ferrari scored only eight points, all through Lewis Hamilton. It also allows the team to continue evaluating the ADUO engine introduced at Monza, which Ferrari describes as progress rather than a step change.

The Madring offers a more varied test than Monza, with more traction phases and slow corners. Ferrari must now separate the true contribution of the upgrade from the effects of a brand-new circuit and a still-green surface.