Charles Leclerc has dodged a grid penal🃏ty for his home race at the Monaco Grand Prix but has been given his first reprimand of the season for an infringement under the Virtual Safety Car in FP3.

The Ferrari driver, who topped the final practice session, was put under investigation for the offence after failing to stay above thꦺ♛e minimum time set by the FIA for a Virtual Safety Car period which was triggered when Sebastian Vettel crashed at Sainte Devote.

Following a hearing with the FIA stewards after FP3 Leclerc had slowed around Turn 1 and Turn 2, where his team-mate had crashed ahead ofꦛ him, but reᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚmained under the minimum lap time for a Virtual Safety Car period until Turn 8.

As a result, Leclerc has been given hi🌊s first reprimand of the year but avoided a potential grid penalty “which is consistent with similar cases during practice sessions”, according to an FIA stateme🐬nt.

“The Stewards reviewed video and telemetry evidence and heard𓆉 from the driver of car 16 (Charles Leclerc) and team reꦑpresentative,” the FIA statement read.

“The driver clearly and appropriately braked before Turn 1 in reaction to the incident at the corner. The VSC appeared when the driver was between Turn 1 and Turn 2. ওThe driver did slow significantly, howe🍷ver he remained below the minimum time set by the FIA ECU until past Turn 8.

“The stewards recognised tha𝔍t the driver was considerably slower than a normal lap throughout the sequence. However, as the VSC is imposed for safe♍ty reasons, the stewards determined that the breach needed to be recognised.

“The stewards therefore impose a Reprimand, which is consistent with similar cases𝔉 during practice🎉 sessions.”

Leclerc may have been fearing a potential grid penalty as Vettel was hit with a three-place grid drop for failing to slow down sufficiently unde✃r red flags during practice at last year’s United States Grand Prix, while Esteban Ocon (Japanese Grand Prix) and Daniel Ricciardo (Australian Grand Prix) also picked up the same penalty in 2018.

But with the incident occurring under a Virtual Safety Car ♊rather than the red flag, the FIA stewards have confirmed a reprimand acts as a sufficient penalty for the offence🐬.

Qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix gets 🦹underway today at 14:00 loca🐭l time.