Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc suffered a high-speed crash at Monza’s Parabolica corner on September 6, 2026, temporarily suspending the Italian Grand Prix. Leclerc walked away unaided but reported temporary right-eye vision disturbance, prompting plans for further medical checks ahead of Formula 1’s upcoming race in Madrid.
Charles Leclerc’s race at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix came to a dramatic halt on the second lap when he lost control of his Ferrari SF-26 at high speed. The Monegasque driver, who previously won his home race at Monza in 2019 and 2024, spun off the circuit at the demanding Parabolica curve while battling with Oscar Piastri for fourth place. The resulting impact with the tire barrier brought out the safety car before race officials deployed a red flag to allow barrier repairs.
Impact at the Parabolica and Race Suspension
The high-speed accident drew immediate comparisons to Leclerc’s 2020 crash at the exact same section of the Monza circuit. According to reporting from the Daily Mail, the impact velocity reached an estimated 160mph as the Ferrari thudded side-on into the hoardings with only a brief stretch of gravel to slow its trajectory. Track marshals and medical staff rushed to the scene as the driver lost control of his car under what he later suggested might involve a difference in power delivery
, though he emphasized a desire to check the telemetry before drawing firm conclusions.
Eagle-eyed fans analyzing onboard footage from Piastri’s car suggested that Leclerc may have touched a drainage grill just before the rear of his Ferrari snapped, inducing sudden oversteer, while other observers on Sky Germany noted an unusual engine sound from the car fractions of a second before the spin. Whatever the mechanical contribution, the sudden wreck left the grandstands stunned and halted the race for a 30-minute stoppage.
Health Status and Upcoming Checks Before Madrid
After climbing out of the wreckage unaided, Leclerc sat on the grass visibly shaken before being transported to the circuit medical center where FIA doctors examined him. Ferrari confirmed shortly before the race resumed that he had been cleared of immediate injuries and discharged.
“The neck was OK, it was just the vision a little bit at first. The right eye was not showing me great vision, but now it’s all good, so that’s the thing I was most worried of getting off the car. Then after that everything, a bit of pain here and there, which is normal after a crash like this, so nothing more.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari driver
Despite passing the initial medical evaluations at the track, the 28-year-old acknowledged that he is not entirely out of the woods physically. With Formula 1 heading immediately to the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s new circuit next weekend, Leclerc stated that he plans to undergo further medical examinations to guarantee his fitness. It should be the case, but better be safe than sorry,
he told reporters.
Tensions Within the Ferrari Garage
Leclerc’s exit capped off a disastrous opening phase for Scuderia Ferrari, which had already seen friction between team-mates earlier on the opening lap. As the field negotiated the opening chicane, Leclerc went wheel-to-wheel with teammate Lewis Hamilton, ultimately forcing the seven-time world champion wide onto the gravel and dropping Hamilton as low as 10th place.
Hamilton reacted furiously over his team radio, shouting Charles pushed me off,
and later reported power issues with his car while the stewards reviewed the start incident and quickly determined it warranted no further action.
While Hamilton ultimately worked his way back to finish sixth, and Kimi Antonelli delivered a stunning recovery drive from 19th on the grid to win the Italian Grand Prix for Mercedes, Ferrari’s home weekend ended in severe disappointment and a £71m chassis development program under intense scrutiny as the championship moves toward its next round.
