In the Hungarian Grand Prix cooldown room, Mercedes driver George Russell did not hold back when reviewing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc meltdown over the team radio.
Leclerc, who had secured pole position—Ferrari’s first standard grand prix pole in 2025—lost the lead after a sudden drop in performance caused by a chassis issue (reuters.com). Mid-race, he erupted over team radio, accusing Ferrari of mismanaging strategy, calling the car “undriveable,” and claiming they had “lost all competitiveness” (crash.net).
As Russell closed in during the final laps, he complained that Leclerc moved under braking—an illegal defensive maneuver—prompting his race engineer to advise calm. Leclerc later received a five-second penalty and a license point for erratic driving (sportbible.com).
After the race, in the cooldown room, Russell, alongside McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, watched replays of the incident. With a grin, Russell quipped:
“He didn’t bloody drive like that against me.”
The remark drew laughs and knowing reactions from the McLaren pair (sportbible.com, gpfans.com).
What Led to the Meltdown
- Charles Leclerc lost the lead midway through the race, blaming Ferrari’s strategy, only to later retract his comments when the team confirmed a chassis-related issue caused the performance drop (news.com.au).
- He admitted post-race that he had been “wrong” to lash out without the full data, explaining that his car had become slower and “just undriveable” after lap 40 (racingnews365.com).
Russell’s Perspective
- Russell was vocal on team radio as he battled Leclerc, accusing him of moving under braking, which is prohibited due to the high risk of collisions.
- He eventually passed Leclerc on lap 61 and secured third place, while Leclerc held on to fourth despite the penalty (racingnews365.com).
The Takeaway
Russell’s pointed comment in the cooldown room summed up his view that Leclerc’s on-track aggression did not hold up under real pressure. Leclerc’s radio outburst, followed by his penalty and public apology, highlighted Ferrari’s ongoing communication and performance challenges.
The Hungarian GP delivered another dramatic chapter in the growing tension between Russell and Leclerc, as McLaren’s Lando Norris took victory, Oscar Piastri finished second, and Russell secured a strong third while Ferrari faced more internal frustration.
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