Martin Brundle unimpressed by 26-year-old F1 driver’s defending in Austin

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Commentator Martin Brundle was left unimpressed by one moment from Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc during the Austin Grand Prix.

Covering the race for Sky Sports F1, Brundle and David Croft were covering the start of the race that saw Lando Norris storm into the lead.

After a fairly undramatic Sprint Race on Saturday, a slightly shaken-up grid promised plenty of early action.

Norris and Charles Leclerc started on the front row of the grid and it was the young Brit who got the better start and raced into first place.

World champion Max Verstappen started in an uncharacteristic sixth place after winning yesterday’s shortened event but quickly started to make his way through the pack.

When he approached Leclerc to take third place, it didn’t take him long to go into Turn 12 to make the move happen.

Martin Brundle wasn’t blown away by Leclerc’s defence in Austin as he started to tumble down the grid.

He will have to hope that Ferrari’s strategy will give him a chance to earn an unlikely podium.

Brundle unimpressed by Leclerc in Austin

Approaching arguably the best overtaking spot on the track, Verstappen’s incredibly quick Red Bull was hunting down the Ferrari.

Leclerc took his time to react to the Dutchman’s advantage and despite attempting a late squeeze, Verstappen was clear at the exit apex, forcing the Monegasque driver wide.

The 26-year-old did his best to try and switch back to retake the position but was never going to be able to challenge the three-time world champion.

Commenting on the move, Brundle said: “Leclerc was a day late and a dollar short on that defence.”

In the build-up to the race, Damon Hill backed Norris to upset Max Verstappen this weekend.

Few would have expected Leclerc to be in the running in Austin and despite his phenomenal qualifying lap, Brundle’s assessment of his defending this evening is fair.

He would have been unlikely to hold him back for much longer had he parked his Ferrari on the inside of the corner anyway.

However, it’s potentially a sign of how the rest of the grid feels when they see the Flying Dutchman in their mirrors right now.

Unfortunately, things went from bad to worse for Leclerc after the race when he and Lewis Hamilton were disqualified.

His car was declared illegal to due excessive wear to the underfloor skid blocks.