Why Leclerc's historics crash shouldn't put off F1 drivers tasting history

Formula 1 drivers live the dream that many of us once possessed and enjoy a privileged lifestyle. Professionally at least, it’s difficult to feel sorry for them. But not long after the rear wing of the ex-Niki Lauda Ferrari 312B3 crumpled against the Rascasse barrier last Sunday, perhaps Charles Leclerc was deserving of a little empathy.

When the current championship leader dropped the high-airbox machine from 1974 during a demonstration run at the Monaco Historique Grand Prix, it looked as though the back axle had locked when he downshifted in the braking zone. In other words, might a racer used to a semi-automatic change have fluffed his heel-and-toe and the H-pattern manual to trigger the spin?

Of course not. Leclerc quickly gesticulated there had been a mechanical issue. Then when he pulled up on the main straight, took off his helmet to reveal a face as red as his overalls, and conversed with Jacky Ickx, the 24-year-old put the blame on a brake pedal that went to the floor.

It swiftly transpired, thanks to a photograph exclusive to Autosport, that the front-left brake disc had shattered moments before Leclerc stamped on the anchors. That meant the car was unbalanced, the majority of stopping force on the right side, and pitched him into the costly spin.

By the time that had spread, the world of social media had already seen the shunt and had relished the opportunity to poke fun at the Monegasque, who seems to have a torrid time whenever racing on his doorstep - since his principality debut in 2017 as part of the FIA Formula 2 field, Leclerc has never finished a race in Monaco. According to Autosport website figures, twice as many people read the initial crash story than the pictorial explanation of the cause.

Granted, Leclerc took to Twitter to engage his 1.8million followers, reveal the brake failure and show his innocence. But there is a question that might still be asked: are demonstration runs for active F1 drivers a thankless task?

For many watching on either trackside or via screen, as incredible as it is to see these cars stretch their legs, there’s a niggling thought that they aren’t being pushed flat-out like in their heyday, if for obvious reason. Then there are the jibes that come with a spill.

Charles Leclerc was left red faced when he crashed the Ferrari 312B3 even if it was blamed on brake failure

Photo by: ACM

It’s a shame for Leclerc. He needn’t have been involved with the Monaco Historique. But instead, in casual attire (albeit still sporting a Cavallino), he was happily milling around the paddock and taking an active interest. Similarly, last month, to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of Gilles Villeneuve, Leclerc also sampled the Canadian’s revered 312T4 from 1979 at Fiorano.

When asked by this writer about that experience, Leclerc said: “It was very special… It was nice and very playful also as a car, so it was cool… [But] the tyres were the same ones they had on the car in the museum for I don’t know how many years, so it was like wood!”

Full credit to Leclerc for embracing the history of F1. In return for that enthusiasm, he’s now driven on 40-year-old rubber that limited his experience in the ex-Villeneuve machine and then bent the ex-Lauda car. His appetite for round three might not be so strong just now.

So, although it’s entirely understandable why the Monaco commentators - mere seconds before Leclerc’s spin - referred to how little pressure Leclerc was under last weekend, these demo runs can be unrewarding. It would be a great shame to see fewer top-flight drivers do similar in the future.

While it’s never pleasant to see a classic car in the wars, perhaps the incident happened the right way round for Leclerc. Unfortunately for him it was in view of the public and livestreamed. Should it have happened at Fiorano, it might never have got out. But at least it looked to be mainly cosmetic damage to a car now run by Methuselah Racing.

Given the Ferrari was on the entry list for the 1973-76 grand prix car race in the Historic GP anyway, there was already an underlying acceptance by the owner that the 312B3 could have been hurt in action

No real harm done. Anyway, it wasn’t a car of unimpeachable provenance in contrast to the Mille Miglia-winning ex-Stirling Moss 300 SLR ‘722’, which was withdrawn from public duties when its long-time mechanic retired last year. And, given the Ferrari was on the entry list for the 1973-76 grand prix car race in the Historic GP anyway, there was already an underlying acceptance by the owner that the 312B3 could have been hurt in action.

The Ferrari’s bent aluminium can be repaired or replaced, and it might not have been the original component anyway. A ‘Trigger’s Broom’ paradox is rife in historic racing. When what looks like a 250 GTO ends up in a tyre wall at Goodwood, it can be an exacting copy of a machine that’s safely stored in a barn somewhere and not the pukka £40million racer that’s purportedly been crumpled.

Until Autosport comes to power at the top of motorsport and mandates all active F1 drivers to compete in the RAC Tourist Trophy every year at the Revival, demo runs offer the best bet of seeing the cream of the crop in old-school machinery. Hopefully, Leclerc’s blameless role in an unfortunate but now-infamous shunt last weekend doesn’t put his contemporaries off their infrequent injection of ‘fever’.

Despite his crash, hopefully Leclerc and his F1 contemporaries won't be put off on trying more historic car runs

Photo by: ACM