CHARLES LECLERC had a day to forget after crashing Nicki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari into the wall at Monaco.
The current Ferrari star, 24, has had a wonderful year in Formula One this season and leads the world championship standings by 19 points.
Charles Leclerc crashed legend Niki Lauda’s £1m 1974 Ferrari into wall in Monaco
Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc crashes legend Niki Lauda’s £1m 1974 Ferrari into wall in Monaco
But he had a nightmare around his home track in Monaco while demonstrating icon Lauda’s car.
It appeared to be a smooth ride until brake failure caused Leclerc to lose control of his rear going into La Rascasse corner.
The Frenchman spun out and the back of the Ferrari 312 B3 collided with the wall.
Leclerc managed to get going again but damage to the rear wing caused it to rub along the wheel, leaving the driver mortified.
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Leclerc tweeted after the crash: “When you thought you already had all the bad luck of the world in Monaco and you lose the brakes into rascasse with one of the most iconic historical Ferrari Formula 1 car.”
Lauda finished fourth in the overall standings in 1974, winning the Grands Prix in Spain and the Netherlands.
So not only does the car possess sentimental value – it even went on auction at a starting price of £1million in 2011.
But it has been crashed before – in the same event last year when it was driven by Jean Alesi.
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Leclerc also had a torrid time during the Monaco Grand Prix last year, having looked set to start on pole
Instead, a crash towards the end of his final run in Q3 caused damage to several parts of the car and ruled Leclerc out of the race.
He has a chance to put that right at the end of May however, as F1 returns to the Monaco circuit after racing in Barcelona next weekend.