Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc believed he was on track for a podium finish at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, September 24, but his hopes were dashed due to a mistaken identity.
The 25-year-old had mistaken Sergio Perez's retiring Red Bull car for that of the race winner, Max Verstappen. It wasn't until the race's final lap that Leclerc realized he was not in contention for a podium position.
"I saw Max stopping at the Virtual Safety Car or after the Safety Car, I don't know what happened there, and I thought he wasn't in the race anymore. So I thought I was doing a podium until the last lap, where I actually looked at the board and I was P4," the Monegasque driver explained.
In the end, Leclerc finished fourth place behind McLaren's Australian rookie sensation Oscar Piastri in third.
Read more: McLaren's Oscar Piastri Takes Subtle Dig at Old Team After Signing Long-Term Contract
Why did Sergio Perez retire twice?
Sergio Perez's race was riddled with drama, starting with a collision with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton at the start that led to an unscheduled pit stop. A five-second penalty followed for an infringement under the Safety Car.
The Mexican's woes continued with another pit stop after clashing with Haas' Kevin Magnussen, and the team retired Perez's car initially.
However, Red Bull strategically put Perez back on the track on Lap 40 to serve the five-second penalty handed prior to ensure it wouldn't affect them in the next race in Qatar. Perez retired for a second time after serving the penalty.
Related Article: Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner Admits Downside of Team's Highly Successful Season
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