Charles Leclerc faced problems during the final stages of Q3 on Saturday at the Austrian Grand Prix. The six-time Grand Prix winner will start the race in P6 on the grid after encountering difficulties on his last lap in Q3. Leclerc expressed his hopes for a strong performance from the team based in Maranello to achieve realistic goals in the next race.
Leclerc has stood out for Ferrari this season and has emerged as a strong contender against Red Bull. However, the team has faced difficulties since their historic victory in Monaco, which has greatly impacted their chances of winning the championship. In light of this, Leclerc acknowledged that the team has made significant changes to their SF-24 car, which they believe will make a difference on the track during the 71-lap race. Despite this, Leclerc remains cautiously optimistic and believes that a top-three finish is a realistic goal for Ferrari based on their performance throughout the weekend.
During his final effort lap in Q3 on Saturday, Charles Leclerc went off track, costing him the opportunity to start further up the grid. As a result, the 25-year-old driver will now seek to make strategic moves at the start of the race to improve Ferrari’s chances against McLaren and Red Bull.
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur anticipates that teams will strategically use pit stops during the main race, unlike the sprint race on Saturday. Vasseur also emphasized the importance of the first lap in determining Ferrari’s overall performance in the race. He believes that strategy and pit stops will play a significant role in the race result.
Vasseur, who has been instrumental in implementing significant changes within Ferrari since his arrival in 2023, now faces a major challenge following the team’s average performance in qualifying on Saturday. Despite this setback, Vasseur remains optimistic and highlights the advantage of using DRS trains around the Red Bull Ring at specific moments. The next race will be crucial in determining Ferrari’s ability to close the gap with leading teams such as McLaren and Red Bull, while aiming to secure podium finishes for the first time since Monaco this year.
