Charles Leclerc’s furious rant over team radio during heated race: ”They f***** me!’

Japanese Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc reacts to sixth place finish

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Netflix’s new series of ‘Drive to Survive’ was released this week, sharing new insights into the world of Formula 1. The show is well known for offering behind the scenes insight into how teams operate, drivers interact and how races are won. Season four includes team communications at some of the most dramatic races.

This includes the Hungarian Grand Prix, where a crash on the first lap helped produce a shock result.

Going into turn one, Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas misjudged his braking, and in the wet conditions, rammed his car into the back of Lando Norris in the McLaren.

Norris’ car then slid into Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, knocking two more cars off the track.

Meanwhile, Lance Stroll tried to move his car down the inside of Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, but instead slid into the side of the Monegasque driver.

As Leclerc spun round, he shouted “Ah! They f***** me!”, as Stroll was heard apologising over his team over team radio.

The first lap carnage laid the foundations for a dramatic race: later on, Hamilton made a huge blunder by not changing to dry tyres at the restart, allowing Esteban Ocon in the Alpine to take a shock lead of the Grand Prix.

Ocon hung on to secure his first ever win in F1, while Williams also surprised many with both drivers finishing with points.

Leclerc will be hoping Ferrari can avoid disasters such as this one to compete for the Constructors’ title this year.

While Mercedes have dominated the sport since 2014, the new regulations going into 2022 could help other teams bridge the gap.

Leclerc’s season may be one to watch if yesterday’s tests in Bahrain are anything to go by.

He set the fastest time on the opening morning of the second test as Ferrari continued its strong preseason form.

As ‘Drive to Survive’ helps to build up the anticipation for the new season, the show has naturally become a subject of debate.

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff this week admitted that he does like the series because of the “narrative” it creates.

The Austrian said he is surprised at the freedom granted to the makers of the documentary around the sport, describing it as “scary”.

Wolff added: “It’s scary how much we let them in. You hate to see yourself in there.

“They create a spin to the narrative – they put scenes together that didn’t happen.

“I guess you’d say as an insider, ‘well that’s different than how it was.’

“But we’re creating entertainment, and that is a new dimension of entertainment.”

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Paul Martin — one of the show’s creators — takes a different view, telling BBC Sport: “Over the four series, Drive to Survive hasn’t over-editorialised anything.”

Verstappen is another from within the sport to have voiced some criticism for the documentary

In October, he said: “I understand that it needs to be done to boost the popularity in America, but from my side as a driver, I don’t like being part of it.

“The problem is they will always position you in a way they want, so whatever you say they will try to make you look reckless, or whatever fits the story of the series.

“So I never really liked that. I prefer to just have a one-on-one interview with the person who would like to know me.

“They position you in whatever fits the episode, and for me that never really works.

“You are interviewed and they use the words under different circumstances, so it never really fits, but fits the series. I don’t think it was the real me.”

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