Following his emotional win on the Monaco Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc and Ferrari had been tantalizingly near Purple Bull atop the System 1 Constructors’ Championship standings, simply 24 factors behind.
Since then, nevertheless, Ferrari has been on the again foot. Between Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., the staff managed only a pair of podiums earlier than the summer time shutdown, they usually limped into the break having slid down to 3rd within the standings.
The Dutch Grand Prix appeared to supply extra of the identical. Each drivers struggled in follow, and on Saturday Leclerc managed to scrape into Q3, whereas Sainz missed out on the third phase of qualifying altogether. A powerful consequence — a lot much less a podium — appeared a pipe dream.
That modified on Sunday. Not solely did Sainz get better to complete fifth however Leclerc put collectively a masterful drive, holding off Oscar Piastri to complete third, capturing his seventh podium of the season.
Following the race, Leclerc hailed the “good shock” Zandvoort supplied.
“Yesterday, we’ve been struggling like loopy. At present, we had been sturdy. And these are the sort of issues that we’ve set to work on. I believe as a lot as we analyse each dangerous shock we’ve got throughout a season, we additionally want to grasp after we do one thing good,” mentioned Leclerc within the FIA Press Convention. “For now, I don’t suppose as a staff we’ve got the reason. So it’s a terrific consequence. I’m actually completely happy to be standing on the rostrum. And I believe it’s a very good shock. Nonetheless, we’ve acquired to grasp with a purpose to carry out extra usually at our greatest.”
The Ferrari driver admitted that he didn’t consider he would maintain off Piastri down the stretch.
“It wasn’t [easy to find a rhythm at the end], as a result of my engineer was telling me about Oscar’s lap time, which when he was in free air was fairly a bit faster than me, I believe practically a second. Then when he acquired nearer, I began to push a bit extra and achieve 5 tenths. And I believe with the soiled air, he most likely misplaced three or 4 tenths,” described Leclerc. “He managed to remain behind and to place me fairly beneath stress for 2, three laps, however then couldn’t keep there due to the overheating. It was a very good technique. I didn’t count on to maintain that third place till the top, however we did a very good job as a staff. I don’t suppose there was something extra we might have performed right this moment.”
Trying forward, the calendar affords circuits which may be favorable for Ferrari. The Italian Grand Prix is subsequent weekend, with the Scuderia anticipated to deliver their subsequent collection of upgrades to their dwelling race at Monza. That race is adopted by Azerbaijan — the place Leclerc completed third within the Grand Prix final season — and Singapore, the place Sainz emerged victorious a 12 months in the past.
Leclerc conceded that he was optimistic in regards to the upcoming schedule, however did supply a catch.
“If you’ll have requested me that query yesterday, I’ll have advised you will probably be very tough,” mentioned Leclerc when requested in regards to the upcoming races. “At present is significantly better. If we handle to grasp what’s happening with our automobile, then I’m fairly optimistic in regards to the future. However for now, we don’t fairly have the understanding but.
With that qualification, Leclerc admitted that the upcoming a part of the schedule is “tremendous essential” for Ferrari.
“It’s tremendous essential. I believe we’ve had three or 4 races 4 races in the past the place we had been experimenting rather a lot to attempt to perceive what had been the elemental problems with our automobile for the event, medium-term. We’ve acquired an improve coming very quickly. Now I can say usually because Fred [Vasseur]mentioned it, so will probably be in Monza,” mentioned Leclerc. And that, I hope, will assist us and assist us shut the hole.
“However till the upgrades, I all the time mentioned that the precedence for us was simply to do a injury limitation. And right this moment, we had been concentrating on P6. Realistically, I believe on paper, that’s what we had been combating for. Nonetheless, after three, 4 laps, the tempo was there,” added Leclerc. “And we referred to as do P3, which is an effective shock once more. So good factors. Nonetheless, now I simply hope that the upgrades helps us to do a step ahead.”
