DON’T TALK ABOUT “PURE MOTORSPORT” ONLY WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT

Leclerc’s overtake on Russell at Zandvoort sparked a lot of debate, but for me, the issue is straightforward: spectacular as it was, under the current regulations, it wasn’t legal.

Leclerc went beyond the track limits, gaining a clear advantage. Even if he had stayed on the racing line, his aggressive move on the Mercedes—Russell already had half a car ahead and thus the right to the line—would still have warranted a penalty. Instead, nothing: a slow investigation and no sanction.

The real problem isn’t the single decision—it’s the precedent it sets. If a move like this is considered legal, it means the rule itself becomes open to interpretation at will. And that, as usual, undermines consistency.

Yes, the overtake was spectacular. But spectacular doesn’t mean legal. Either the rules are changed to include a clause like “in the case of particularly exciting moves, stewards may overlook,” or the rules are applied as written. Otherwise, it becomes a game of discretion in the moment.

There are plenty of comparisons: Verstappen in Austin 2017, penalized for a beautiful overtake that went beyond track limits; Norris in Austin 2024, handed a 5-second penalty despite being the one wronged. Not to mention qualifying laps deleted for track limits by mere centimeters, often with heavy consequences for the entire weekend. So why not here?

What made it even more surreal was the commentary, drawing forced parallels to Zanardi’s “Cavatappi”: a different era, a different category, a different story.

Let’s be honest: if Stroll or Russell had pulled the same move, it wouldn’t have been called a stroke of genius. There would have been fierce criticism. But with Leclerc, often portrayed as “the chosen one,” there’s a tendency to downplay it every time.

For me, it’s not about names: under today’s regulations, anyone making that overtake would be considered illegal. The problem is that, once again, the same standard isn’t applied consistently. And if the rulebook isn’t what dictates fairness—but the excitement of the moment—then we’re talking less and less about sport.

© Simone Marchetti Cavalieri

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