Charles Leclerc appears to COLLIDE with Brit Lando Norris during FP3 at the Spanish Grand Prix… as Ferrari star unleashes X-rated outburst after feeling held up behind McLaren driver

Charles Leclerc escaped a grid penalty after punching Lando Norris following a collision between the two during a fiery practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Carlos Sainz topped FP3 in front of a screaming home crowd at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, finishing narrowly ahead of Norris and Leclerc.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, who extended his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship with victory last season, could only finish fourth.

Despite Sainz’s success, all eyes were on his Ferrari teammate during training after a meeting between Leclerc and Norris.

Throughout the final training session, Leclerc appeared to become increasingly frustrated with Norris, seemingly believing he was being unfairly hampered by his rival.

Leclerc expressed his frustration with the McLaren driver with an x-rated comment on the team radio

As Leclerc passed the McLaren driver at the entrance to Turn 7/8, he stepped over and turned towards Norris’s front wing. He appeared to make visible contact before expressing his frustration over the team radio.

‘F*****. I don’t understand why they did it.’ said Leclerc.

The Monegasque driver eventually faced race stewards for the incident, but was not given a grid penalty, instead being reprimanded for driving.

“The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 16 (Charles Leclerc), the driver of Car 4 (Lando Norris), team representatives and reviewed video footage, team radio and in-car video evidence,” the stewards’ statement said.

‘The driver of car 16 stated that he was hindered by car 4 in Turn 5 and that upset him. He was subsequently forced to abort his flying lap, claiming that while trying to get off the racing line before Turn 7, he misjudged his car’s position and made light contact with car 4.

“Regardless of any intent, the Stewards consider the action of Car 16, while not dangerous, to be erratic and therefore issue a driving reprimand, in accordance with precedent.”

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok called Leclerc’s actions ‘unnecessary’.

‘Charles’ is the most redundant for me. He had already done his lap, he was in a cool lap, a second push.’ Chandhok told Sky Sports.

Despite the controversy, Leclerc escaped a grid penalty, with the stewards deeming the incident ‘erratic’ but not ‘dangerous’

‘On his delta time he was in Turn 5. Maybe Lando would have cost him something in Turn 5, but he wouldn’t improve his lap time.

‘It just felt unnecessary to take part in qualifying.

“There’s only two hours in between, he’s had to go to the stewards and waste half an hour talking about this stuff when you should be talking about putting yourself in the right position for qualifying.”