Leclerc learns judgment after Azerbaijan GP stewards' hearing

Charles Leclerc has been reprimanded following a hearing conducted by the Azerbaijan Grand Prix stewards after offering a "reasonable" explanation for his actions.

Ferrari driver Leclerc was summoned to face the FIA panel for allegedly failing to slow under yellow flags during the final practice session at the Baku Street Circuit.

A stewards' report read: "As the driver of Car 16, Leclerc, passed turn 2 he could see Car 10, Gasly, ahead of him.

"Approaching turn 3 it was not clear to Leclerc, or the in-car video, where Gasly was relative to the corner.

"Leclerc passed the marshalling signal board prior to turn 3 and no signal is given.

"Confirmed by telemetry and video, just past his braking point, Gasly comes clearly into the view of the in-car camera on the right of the run-off at turn 3, and shortly afterwards a single-waved yellow flag is shown from an elevated position to the right of the run-off just before Leclerc turns into the corner.

"Confirmed by telemetry and by the driver in the hearing, at this point he was fully under braking and any furtherr braking would have resulted in an accident.

The driver further explained that while he saw movement in his peripheral vision, he was looking to the apex of the corner and did not immediately recognise that it was a yellow flag.

"In reviewing the video the Stewards consider this to be reasonable.

"Once past the corner, the green marshalling panel was clearly visible as was a clear track all the way to the following corner.

"However, the regulations state that the yellow sector extends to the point of the green flag.

"Telemetry indicates that Leclerc applied the throttle in a similar manner to other fast laps and prior to the green flag and the mini-sector timing indicates that this was his fastest time through that sector up to that point in the session, although increasing grip and decreasing car weights have an influence on this.

"The Stewards consider that the driver took all reasonable actions throughout the incident, except that given that he was in a yellow zone past the apex, and even though the track was visibly clear and a green was visible shortly after, he should have varied his throttle application out of caution and in order to fully comply with the intent of the regulation to noticeably reduce speed in that sector.

As no competitive advantage was gained, and at no time was any action of the driver in any way dangerous, and especially in light of the timing and visibility of the flag, being when the driver was fully under braking, the Stewards consider this as strong mitigation and therefore, in light of this being free-practice order a driving reprimand."

Leclerc went on to finish second quickest at the end of FP3, trailing Mercedes' George Russell by just 0.013s.

Leclerc will be aiming for his fourth consecutive pole position at Baku when qualifying commences at 1400 local time (1300 BST).

The 26-year-old, however, has failed to convert any of his three previous pole positions into victories, finishing fourth in 2021, retiring a year later, and third last season.