Charles Leclerc has revealed how Mercedes and George Russell attempted to outplay him during their intense fight for the final podium spot at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Leclerc ultimately secured third place at Suzuka after a close battle with Russell, with both drivers having moved ahead of Lewis Hamilton following the safety car restart.
The key moment came when Russell overtook Leclerc into the final chicane, only for the Ferrari driver to respond immediately by reclaiming the position into Turn 1 on the next lap. That move helped Leclerc clinch his second podium finish in the opening three races of the season.
Speaking after the race, Leclerc explained that Mercedes attempted to mislead him through radio messages communicated to Russell by race engineer Marcus Dudley. However, Ferrari engineer Bryan Bozzi kept Leclerc informed, allowing him to spot the tactic.
Leclerc said that Russell was often doing the opposite of what was being communicated over the radio, which initially created pressure but quickly became predictable.
Although he was briefly caught off guard at the final corner during one exchange, Leclerc described the battle as enjoyable overall. He also noted that the timing of the safety car made things more difficult for Ferrari’s race strategy, particularly during the second stint, even if it likely didn’t change the final outcome significantly.
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