Charles Leclerc, a driver for Ferrari, expressed his concerns about problems with a manhole cover during pre-season testing in Bahrain. He emphasized that this issue could have significant consequences. The loose cover at Turn 11 of the Bahrain International Circuit caused disruptions in two sessions of the three-day tests. On the second day, Leclerc’s Ferrari ran over the loose cover, resulting in damage to the floor of his car and an early end to the session. This incident reminded him of a similar situation in Las Vegas last year, where Leclerc’s teammate, Carlos Sainz, had his car destroyed due to a manhole cover. Leclerc highlighted the importance of resolving this issue to prevent future occurrences. Lewis Hamilton also encountered the loose cover during testing and echoed Leclerc’s concerns. Max Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, faced a similar problem on the final morning of the tests, causing a delay and changes to the session schedule. Verstappen acknowledged that Formula 1 cars with ground effect and the single-use of the track can contribute to this problem, and called for better checks and precautions to avoid further incidents, especially considering the current budget cap.
