Leclerc to Miss Brazil Media Duties After Birth of Daughter Bianca

Charles Leclerc will miss media duties ahead of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix following the birth of his first child. The Ferrari driver announced on Instagram that his wife Alexandra gave birth to their daughter Bianca on Tuesday, and he has been allowed extra time at home with his family in Monaco before travelling to Interlagos. Leclerc had been scheduled to face the press on Thursday, but his absence means he will not address the criticism from team-mate Lewis Hamilton following their tussle in the Mexico Grand Prix last weekend. Hamilton accused Leclerc of working against him after the Monegasque driver tried to overtake the Briton on the first lap, a move that opened the door for Max Verstappen to win the race. Family, rightly, comes first on this occasion, and Ferrari will expect Leclerc to be back in the car for Friday practice at Interlagos. The Sao Paulo weekend is one of the final four races of the season, with Mercedes closing in on the constructors' crown and the fight for second in the drivers' standings still live. Leclerc's week, though, will be remembered for something far bigger than a press conference: the arrival of his daughter, and a few precious extra days at home before the championship resumes.