Charles Leclerc insists Ferrari moving in ‘right direction’ after Austria podium but calls for more upgrades to catch McLaren

Charles Leclerc praised Ferrari for his or her “nice job” in delivering efficient upgrades at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, after he and the group returned to the rostrum locations.

Ferrari introduced ground upgrades to the SF-25 on the Pink Bull Ring in a bid to get their season again on observe following an up-and-down sequence of races that swung between preventing for trophies to struggling for minor factors.

Having cut up McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Qualifying, thanks partially to the Australian being hampered by yellow flags, Leclerc dropped to 3rd on the first nook and held that ‘better of the remaining’ spot thereafter, with group mate Lewis Hamilton backing him up in fourth.

Reflecting on Piastri’s first-lap cross, and the way his race unfolded from that time, Leclerc stated: “I used to be not planning to try to overtake in Flip 1, truly. I don’t suppose it’s very a lot doable right here to attempt to go round Flip 1.

“As quickly as I had a great begin I used to be side-by-side and that was principally my place, then I needed to brake early, Oscar overtook me across the outdoors, so there wasn’t a lot I might have executed higher there.

“However to be sincere, if I’d have saved second place, I’m fairly certain I’d have gotten overtaken in a short time afterwards as a result of they [the McLarens] had been simply too fast in the present day.

“We nonetheless have to work onerous. The group has executed an awesome job in bringing these upgrades and we did steps in the correct route, however we’re nonetheless lacking slightly little bit of tempo.”

Requested if he appears like there may be now “mild on the finish of the tunnel” for Ferrari, Leclerc replied: “I hope so! I imply, we’re working in the correct route for certain – this weekend proves it.

“I believe we have now executed small steps in the correct route. We must be cautious to evaluate too shortly our upgrades. It does every thing we needed, however we have to wait possibly two or three races in an effort to choose it correctly and to evaluate our precise tempo correctly.

“We’re getting in the correct route. I hope that we are able to deliver new components as quickly as doable and if that’s the case then I hope that this can shut the hole much more so with the McLaren.”

Hamilton was additionally eager to “take the positives” from the weekend – pointing to each Ferraris ending inside half a minute of winner Norris after some a lot larger deficits thus far this yr.

“I believe I’m slowly making progress, which is an actual constructive,” the seven-time World Champion stated after the race. “We’ve made progress as a group, which is actually constructive.

“It’s nice for us to be the second-fastest group this weekend and to be so near… we’re not a minute down [on the leaders], which is actually constructive.

“Clearly we are able to’t do what the McLarens can do in the meanwhile, however that is actually I believe right down to the nice improve that we had, and I believe we had a greater execution as a group this weekend.”

As for whether or not he and Ferrari can use the weekend as a stepping stone to extra success, Hamilton continued: “I can see Qualifying is getting higher. My race tempo is just not superb.

“I’m actually fighting the stability within the race. I had large understeer within the low-speed and big oversteer within the high-speed – nothing I might do with my instruments might repair that.

“Additionally we have now brake issues on a regular basis, so I used to be fighting the brakes, having to handle the brakes the entire race, which is rarely nice and that was dropping time – however we’ll take the positives this weekend!”

Ferrari have moved again as much as second in the Teams’ Championship following Sunday’s race in Spielberg, one level forward of rivals Mercedes, who failed to attain with Kimi Antonelli after the rookie ran into Max Verstappen’s Red Bull on the opening lap.