Leclerc says Verstappen’s move was 'not done right’

Charles Leclerc was left unhappy with Max Verstappen’s driving as the pair came to blows late on while fighting for victory during Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix.

Leclerc had controlled the race throughout until Verstappen’s late charge, with the Red Bull driver diving up the inside of Leclerc at Turn 3 with just three laps to go.

The pair had already gone wheel-to-wheel at the same corner on the previous lap, but this time they locked wheels at the apex of the corner, leading to Leclerc being forced wide and off the track.

Verstappen claimed the lead and went on to record his and Red Bull’s first victory of the 2019 season, with Leclerc left to settle for second.

Asked if he felt like the win had been stolen from him, Leclerc replied: “Well I think overall Red Bull was very good today and very good with the tyres.

“If I felt the overtake was done rightly, I don’t think the second one was, but anyway the end would’ve probably been the same as it wasn’t the only overtake he would have had.

“I did the same thing from the first to the second lap,” he added.

“The only thing that changed was on the second lap there was contact, and then I had to go wide and lose time there.

“I think he broke a little bit deeper, I don’t know if he lost it or not, but then there was the contact.

“I felt I was quite strong on traction, the first time I managed to have better traction and I kept my position.

“On the second lap I couldn’t do that because I was off-track.”

Verstappen said F1 drivers might as well “stay at home” if he ends up being penalised, while Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto is “confident” that Verstappen is in line for a post-race penalty.

Both drivers have been summoned to see the stewards following the incident, with an outcome expected in the coming hours.