Charles Leclerc Sidelined from FP2 After Heavy Crash in Canada, Eyes Saturday Return
Charles Leclerc has been forced to sit out the second practice session (FP2) of the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix after a heavy crash during Friday’s first session (FP1) at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Ferrari driver lost control of his SF-25 car while approaching Turn 3, locking his front wheels and slamming into the barriers. The crash caused substantial damage to the left side of the car, particularly the survival cell—a critical part of the chassis that protects the driver in the event of an impact.
The Ferrari team quickly began assessing the situation, and team principal Fred Vasseur soon provided an update. Speaking to the media after the incident, Vasseur expressed concerns about the damage, stating, “When I left the garage, we suspected the chassis might be compromised. According to FIA regulations, we can’t simply swap it out without a proper inspection. It looks like Charles won’t be back on track today.”
Sky Sports F1 later confirmed that Leclerc would indeed miss FP2. The team later released an official statement on social media, explaining that the car’s survival cell needed replacing. Since this component forms the core of the car’s safety structure, it cannot be changed hastily or without thorough checks. The FIA mandates that any new chassis must pass scrutineering—a detailed inspection process—before being allowed on track. However, this inspection can only be conducted once per day, meaning the replacement chassis could not be cleared in time for FP2.
As a result, Leclerc ended Friday with only 15 minutes of track time under his belt—far less than the typical two hours other drivers received across both practice sessions. His next opportunity to get behind the wheel will come during FP3 on Saturday morning, a single one-hour session that will serve as his only preparation before qualifying begins at 4 p.m. local time.
The crash comes as a setback in what has been a mixed weekend for the Monegasque driver. Despite strong performances so far this season—including out-qualifying teammate Lewis Hamilton in seven of the nine races—Leclerc now faces an uphill battle. With limited track time, he will need to maximize every minute of FP3 to fine-tune his setup and regain confidence in the newly rebuilt car before qualifying.
Ferrari will be under pressure as well, tasked with preparing a fully functional car overnight that passes FIA checks in time for Saturday’s action. All eyes will be on Leclerc to see if he can bounce back swiftly, maintain his qualifying momentum, and remain competitive for Sunday’s race.
