F1 site visitors jam chaos as Charles Leclerc ‘does Austin Powers impression’ in Miami
Charles Leclerc‘s ‘Austin Powers’ moment had a Sky F1 pundit in stitches as the driver’s spin halted Miami GP practice.
The Ferrari ace lost his grip during a practice session, spinning out on a tight part of the Miami circuit. Luckily, he avoided a kiss with the barriers, leaving his ride unscathed.
But the narrow track turned his car into an impromptu roadblock, causing a queue of frustrated drivers waiting for Leclerc to wiggle his Ferrari back into action.
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Despite a few forward-reverse shuffles, Leclerc couldn’t quite manage the turnaround. After letting other cars pass, he faced another hiccup: an overheated clutch that refused to engage reverse, reports the Mirror.
With the Ferrari stuck, the red flags were waved, and Leclerc hopped out. Over at Sky Sports F1, commentator David Croft was having a chuckle over the incident, likening it to the iconic Austin Powers scene where the comedy spy can’t manoeuvre his car in a narrow passage.
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Croft, trying to keep his composure live on air, quipped: “You know that scene in Austin Powers when he’s trying to get the car turned around in the tunnel? I think we’ve got one of those on our hands!”
He couldn’t help but chuckle as he said: “I’m not laughing… well, I am, but I’m laughing at the Austin Powers thing, not at Charles Leclerc. This is ruining not only his first few moments, but everyone else out on track as well.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Moments later, with Leclerc’s car stuck in a spin, race officials had no choice but to bring out the red flag. After Ferrari’s mishap was sorted, the drivers were back on the asphalt.
Leclerc, however, was sidelined for the remainder of the session. With the Sprint format in play this weekend, this means he’ll miss out on practice before diving straight into qualifying for the Sprint race on Friday.
The stoppage was brief, thankfully, and soon enough, the track was flying once more, albeit with just one Ferrari making rounds as Carlos Sainz flaunted their unique blue-infused livery.
