Leclerc was because of line up second on the grid behind Pink Bull driver Max Verstappen, however the Monegasque spun off at Flip 6 (Ferradura) on the formation lap and continued into the limitations.
This had been preceded by a small puff of smoke from the rear of his SF-23 earlier than the again axle appeared to lock and snapped the automobile into its spin. From then on, the driving force was a passenger.
Chatting with Sky Sports activities F1, Leclerc reckoned an engine difficulty had triggered the spin as he additionally confronted a subsequent hydraulic failure that ripped the steering wheel out of his fingers.
He defined: “After I misplaced the steering wheel, I went straight principally as a result of I had no hydraulics anymore.
“I don’t suppose it’s a hydraulic drawback. I imply, I do know what it’s. I can’t go an excessive amount of into element.
“Then there was an engine factor that made me lock the rear wheels after which clearly I spun and hit the wall. I couldn’t do something.”
Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz suffered a hydraulics failure throughout FP1 within the earlier Mexico Metropolis spherical, however Leclerc reckoned he had seen sufficient to suspect his difficulty was “fully completely different”.
After Sainz blamed a poor getaway on a clutch, Leclerc stated: “I used to be pleased with my automobile, we’re altering the settings in between automobiles from weekend to weekend.
“I feel he was sad with what they’ve accomplished on their aspect of the storage however I’m on my aspect it was all good.”
Leclerc was initially capable of drive out of the barrier however had sustained entrance wing injury. He then parked down an escape street to substantiate his retirement.
The Sao Paulo race was rapidly crimson flagged after a sizeable Flip 1 shunt that worn out Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon.
Williams racer Albon had moved to the surface of Nico Hulkenberg off the road however the Haas clipped his rear tyre to ship him spinning into Magnussen.
This ripped a tyre off the rim, which in flip clonked the rear wing of Daniel Ricciardo, as Magnussen spun into the again of Oscar Piastri.
Each Australians had been capable of take the race restart from the pitlane, a lap down, because the 25-minute stoppage for barrier repairs allowed the groups to finish repairs.