Breaking: Charles Leclerc faces Spanish GP absence after Monza crash as FIA h…read more

Charles Leclerc faces Spanish GP absence after Monza crash as FIA health test puts Ferrari star under pressure

Charles Leclerc’s participation in this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix is in doubt after his heavy crash at Monza left him facing a crucial FIA medical assessment just days before the action begins in Madrid.

The Ferrari driver walked away from his Italian Grand Prix accident last Sunday, but the severity of the impact has raised concerns over whether he can safely return to an F1 car at the new Madring circuit.

Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari and spun backwards into the barriers at Monza. Although he was able to climb out of the wreckage, he was visibly shaken and briefly sat down after the impact.

The 28-year-old subsequently reported problems with vision in his right eye and was checked at the circuit’s medical centre. His vision later recovered, but the incident has triggered additional scrutiny ahead of the Spanish GP.

Leclerc faces FIA assessment in Madrid

Dr Isabel Ornaque, who will head the medical centre at the Spanish Grand Prix, confirmed that Leclerc’s Monza crash was measured at approximately 23G, rather than the higher figure that had circulated in some reports.

Ornaque is also familiar with Leclerc’s medical history after assessing him following his 22G crash at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit earlier this year.

Leclerc is scheduled to undergo his initial assessment in Madrid on Thursday, but passing that examination does not necessarily mean he will immediately be cleared to race.

Ferrari is understood to have a contingency plan should Leclerc be ruled out, with Antonio Giovinazzi a potential replacement.

‘The hardest return in sport’

The tight turnaround is particularly significant because of the demanding process involved in returning to racing after a suspected head injury.

Bradley Scanes, who previously worked as Max Verstappen’s performance coach, has detailed the FIA-style return-to-racing process and described motorsport as having “the hardest return in sport.”

Scanes was involved when Verstappen underwent medical assessments following his huge 2021 British Grand Prix crash.

The difference this time is the lack of recovery time available to Leclerc. Verstappen had two weeks between Silverstone and the following race, whereas Leclerc has only four days between his Monza accident and the start of the Madring weekend.

Why FP1 may not mean Leclerc is fully cleared

The return-to-racing process can involve several stages, including rest, controlled aerobic exercise, cognitive testing, simulator work, physical testing and further medical assessment.

According to Scanes’ outline, the early stages can require seven to nine days to complete cleanly if no symptoms return.

That creates a significant problem for Leclerc given the back-to-back nature of the Italian and Spanish Grands Prix.

Even if he passes Thursday’s FIA examination and is allowed into FP1, the practice session itself can effectively become the final part of the assessment rather than an unconditional green light.

The demands of an F1 car go far beyond simply driving a simulator. Drivers must cope with intense physical loads, rapid decision-making and substantial forces through the neck while maintaining concentration at extreme speeds.

Ferrari facing anxious wait

There is precedent for a driver being cleared by medical officials only to struggle once back in the car.

Sergio Perez, for example, was cleared to compete after his Monaco crash before subsequently feeling unwell during practice in Canada and withdrawing from the event.

That underlines the difficulty of assessing whether a driver is genuinely ready to return to competition.

For Ferrari, the situation creates an unwanted complication after a difficult Italian Grand Prix. Leclerc’s absence at the team’s home race was already a major blow; losing him again at the first Spanish GP at Madring would create another significant challenge.

For now, however, the priority is not Ferrari’s championship ambitions but Leclerc’s fitness and safety.

The Monegasque star must first convince the FIA medical team that he is fit to race — and with only days separating his Monza crash from Madrid, his return could prove one of the most closely watched medical decisions of the F1 season.