Charles Leclerc Accuses Max Verstappen of Hypocrisy After US Grand Prix Qualifying Incident
Charles Leclerc did not hold back his frustration after Saturday’s qualifying session for the 2025 United States Grand Prix, accusing Max Verstappen of hypocrisy following a heated on-track moment between the pair. The Ferrari star was left visibly irritated after claiming that Verstappen disrupted his final flying lap at the Circuit of the Americas, effectively compromising his last chance to improve his time.
Leclerc, who will start Sunday’s race from third on the grid, felt the Red Bull driver got in his way during the closing stages of Q3. The Monegasque had been pushing hard to recover from an earlier mistake — a costly spin at the final corner on his first timed lap — and was banking on his last attempt to move closer to pole. However, that plan fell apart when he encountered Verstappen on an out lap ahead of him.
According to Leclerc, Verstappen’s positioning and slow pace through the opening corners affected the clean air and rhythm he needed to maximise his final push. The incident proved particularly frustrating for Leclerc, given Verstappen himself had recently voiced strong complaints about a similar situation at the previous race in Singapore.
There, Verstappen had been furious with McLaren’s Lando Norris, who he claimed had disturbed his lap preparation by running slowly in front of him on a cooldown lap, disrupting the airflow around his Red Bull. After that qualifying session, Verstappen expressed his displeasure in no uncertain terms, saying he would “remember” the incident — a veiled warning to his rival about track etiquette.
But at Austin, Leclerc felt Verstappen was guilty of the very same behaviour he had condemned just weeks earlier. Speaking over team radio immediately after qualifying, Leclerc vented his anger, implying that the Dutchman’s actions were hypocritical.
“What Max did is… he cannot complain in Singapore when he does the same elsewhere,” Leclerc said in frustration, before cutting himself off. “Anyway…” he added, his tone clearly irritated.
Despite the interference, Leclerc still managed to secure third place on the grid, behind Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Verstappen, meanwhile, clinched his seventh pole position of the season — further boosting his hopes of reclaiming the championship lead as the title battle intensifies.
Ferrari race engineer Bryan Bozzi tried to calm his driver down over the radio, congratulating him on the result and reminding him to activate his DRS on the back straight. But Leclerc’s temper was still flaring as he crossed the line.
“Fuck’s sake. It’s a shame for the traffic,” he snapped, clearly disappointed to have missed a better grid spot due to circumstances beyond his control. Bozzi again reminded him: “DRS, DRS Charles, DRS.”
Leclerc shot back sharply: “Yes, yes, yes, yes! Don’t tell me things ten times, I’m on the DRS.”
The exchange highlighted Leclerc’s growing frustration — not only with Verstappen’s driving but with the situation overall. Ferrari had looked competitive throughout the weekend, with both Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz showing strong pace in practice. But traffic, timing, and misfortune once again left Leclerc feeling that a front-row start had slipped away.
Verstappen, for his part, appeared unbothered by the incident, though it is almost certain the stewards will review the session footage. The reigning four-time world champion has been involved in several qualifying controversies this season, often related to traffic and impeding allegations.
The tension between the two drivers adds another layer of drama to an already fiery championship battle. With just a handful of races remaining, Verstappen, Norris, and Leclerc are all still mathematically in contention for the title — and every qualifying session has become a high-stakes affair.
As the lights go out at COTA, the rivalry between Ferrari and Red Bull, and particularly between Leclerc and Verstappen, is expected to take center stage once again. And given Leclerc’s remarks, it’s clear he’ll be keeping a close eye on the Dutchman’s on-track conduct — just as Verstappen promised to do with Norris a few weeks earlier.
In the heat of the Texas sun, tempers are flaring, and so too is the fight for Formula 1 supremacy.
