WATCH: Esteban Ocon hits Charles Leclerc in the pitlane before the start of Miami Sprint race, gets penalized

Alpine driver Esteban Ocon collided with Charles Leclerc in the pit lane prior to the Miami sprint race and was handed a 10-second penalty as a result.

The incident unfolded as Ocon was exiting his team's garage, seemingly in a rush to join the grid for the Sprint Race. Unfortunately, as he maneuvered his car, he collided with Leclerc, who was navigating the pit lane in his Ferrari.

The collision caused immediate damage to Ocon's car, necessitating repairs, including the installation of a new front wing. On the other hand, Leclerc's Ferrari emerged relatively unscathed, with his team confirming that the vehicle sustained no significant damage.

Watch the incident below:

A review was launched by the race stewards following the incident, which led to Esteban Ocon being handed a 10-second penalty. It has been levied on the grounds of an unsafe release from the garage.

Reacting to Ocon's move, Charles Leclerc stated over his team radio:

"The guy was completely sleeping. I don't know who that was but... even the mechanics were telling him to stop I think."

Ocon is set to start the Sprint race from the 13th position. Meanwhile, following an impressive Sprint qualifying, Charles Leclerc starts from P2 behind Max Verstappen.

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What did Charles Leclerc say after encouraging Sprint qualifying finish?

Leclerc secured a front-row starting position for the Sprint race at Miami International Autodrome. This came after an eventful practice session on Friday (May 4) which saw the Monegasque driver spin early on.

When he was asked if the qualifying result was satisfactory for Leclerc, the 26-year-old Ferrari driver stated (via F1.com):

"Yeah, I am. I am because qualifying [was] a weak point for two races in a row at one point. China was a little bit better but we didn’t have the car to actually show that."

Leclerc emphasized the importance of maximizing the performance of the car, especially given the limitations imposed by tire regulations. He added:

"It has come on such a difficult weekend because obviously I did one lap in FP1, so I had to go in quali and go straight away flat-out. We are allowed to only use one set of tyres in SQ1 so it was very, very tricky, but straight away I felt the feeling, and the hard work that I’ve done earlier in the season to try and put the tyres in the right window has paid off."

Charles Leclerc is ranked third in the F1 Drivers' standings after five races. He has 76 points and two podium finishes.