Lance Stroll gets F1 Monaco GP grid drop for Charles Leclerc crash

Lance Stroll has been given a one-place grid drop at the F1 Monaco Grand Prix for causing a collision with Charles Leclerc in first practice. 

The Ferrari driver and home hero hit the rear of Stroll's Aston Martin at the Loews hairpin after the Canadian veered into Leclerc's path while on a slow lap during the early stages of FP1 in Monte Carlo.

Leclerc suffered front wing damage in the tangle and had to return to the pits for repairs, though he was able to continue. 

It proved to be a session-ending incident for Stroll who suffered rear suspension damage to his car. 

Stroll has also received one penalty point on his licence, taking him up to three for the current 12-month period. 

The stewards' verdict 

The Monaco stewards determined that Stroll was "wholly to blame" for the accident, with Leclerc "not in a position to avoid the collision that took place". 

"The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 18 (Lance Stroll), the driver of Car 16 (Charles Leclerc), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, team radio and in-car video evidence and determined that Car 18 cut across the path of Car 16 at Turn 6 causing Car 16 to collide into Car 18," the stewards said. 

"Car 16 suffered damage as a result. The driver of Car 18 stated that although the team warned him of the arrival of Car 16, he did not hear the radio message and that led to the incident. 

"We considered that Car 18 was wholly to blame for the collision. Car 16 was not in a position to avoid the collision that took place. In the circumstances, we imposed a 1 grid position penalty for the Race and 1 penalty point.