Huge Leclerc crash brings out early Italian GP red flag

Formula 1's Italian Grand Prix has been red-flagged following a huge crash for Charles Leclerc on the exit of the final corner at the end of the second lap.

The Ferraris ran side-by-side into the first turn on the opening lap with Hamilton diving down the inside of Leclerc - who, in Hamilton's view, proceeded to push him off the track and into the gravel at Turn 2.

Leclerc continued in third, then briefly overtook polesitter Pierre Gasly at the start of lap two before being repassed, and later dropped to fourth behind Max Verstappen's Red Bull.

And Leclerc's race then came to an end when he had a wobble through the Ascari chicane and lost control of his Ferrari at the Parabolica (Alboreto) and speared into the barriers at high speed.

Oscar Piastri's McLaren had been looking for a move into the corner and Leclerc appeared to run slightly wide onto the green Tarmac just off the track, with his Ferrari swapping ends on him.

Leclerc quickly emerged from his wrecked Ferrari and the safety car, then the red flag, were issued in quick succession.

The incident was similar to Leclerc's crash at Parabolica in the 2020 Italian GP.

Ferrari said shortly before the race was due to restart - at 3.39pm local time - that Leclerc had left the medical centre.

When the red flag was called George Russell led, having overtaken Gasly's Alpine at the start of lap two.

Gasly was second ahead of Verstappen, the second Alpine of Franco Colapinto, Piastri, his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) and Hamilton.