Charles Leclerc was injured in a dramatic 160mph crash at the start of the Italian Grand Prix, leading to a red flag and dismay among fans at Ferrari's home event. The incident occurred on the second lap as Leclerc duelled with Oscar Piastri for fourth place.
Leclerc lost control of his car at the final corner, the Parabolica, and impacted the barriers with significant force. After the crash, he was seen sitting on the grass, appearing to be in discomfort and holding his neck before being attended to by a marshal and taken away in the medical car for treatment.
The crash happened shortly after Leclerc had been involved in a contentious moment with teammate Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton accused Leclerc of forcing him off track earlier in the lap, causing Hamilton to drop from fourth place to tenth.
Prior to the red flag, George Russell was leading the race for Mercedes, having overtaken pole-sitter Pierre Gasly on the main straight at the end of the first lap. Leclerc's car was subsequently removed from the track by crane. Organizers announced that the race would resume at 2:39 PM UK time.