Charles Leclerc says the stewards’ decision not to penalise Max Verstappen for the clash between the pair in the Austrian Grand Prix was not consistent with other recent decisions.

However the Ferrari driver said he is happy to race hard with rival drivers when the stewards do not get involved.

“With the incident I don’t have any problems,” said Leclerc. “It is very easy for me to move on.

“The only thing is that I would like maybe a bit more consistency. I feel like there have been some other incidents in the past which have been less big in a way and that have been penalised.

“If we can race that way then I’m more than happy to race that way. I think it’s good Formula 1. I think it’s what us drivers want.

“But we just need to know what we can expect from the others and on that I think that’s what I would like probably more consistency on the penalties.”

Leclerc did not specify which previous incidents he felt the ruling was not consistent with. Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto previously said the decision was not consistent with Sebastian Vettel’s for rejoining the track unsafely during the Canadian Grand Prix.

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Leclerc admitted he didn’t immediately feel Verstappen should have been let off.

“He had such a pace advantage with the tyres he was on that it was very difficult to keep him behind,” said Leclerc. “But just the way the overtake has been done, I felt that looking the past other penalties afterwards getting out of the car I felt maybe should have been penalised.

“But in the end I am very happy with this decision if they are consistent like this I am very happy to race like this do.”

He added he will reconsider his approach to wheel-to-wheel racing after the stewards’ decision not to penalise Verstappen.

“As drivers we always try to be as close a the rules limit us to be,” he said. “So I will definitely change a little bit and adjust a little bit my [approach].”

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2019 F1 season