Leclerc, who started in eighth place, completed 27 laps on a set of medium tires before switching to hard tires and fiercely defending to hold off Lando Norris’ McLaren.
The Monegasque driver was eventually overtaken by his teammate, Carlos Sainz, who finished third behind the Red Bull duo, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Despite being voted Driver of the Day, Leclerc dropped to third place in the Formula 1 drivers’ standings, with 59 points, four more than his teammate Sainz. Verstappen leads the championship with 77 points, followed by Perez with 64.
“We executed an impressive strategy, managed our time well, and had great pace, but it’s just not enough when you start in eighth,” Leclerc told Sky Sports.
“Normally, I don’t need to focus on qualifying days in my career because it’s usually one of my strengths. But in Australia and here, I’ve been struggling, so I’ll focus on that.
“But usually, when I work on something, I improve quite quickly, so I’m confident,” he insisted.
Team boss Frederic Vasseur praised Ferrari for recovering from their disappointing performance in the practice sessions and qualifying.
“We had a strong Sunday with a good strategy and managed to recover. If we want to have a better weekend, we need to improve on Saturdays,” Vasseur added.
“We made progress with the car during the winter, even in the latter part of last year. Everyone in the team is much more confident and calm, and we are doing a good job together,” the Frenchman stated.
Sainz once again delivered for Ferrari, securing his third podium in three races this season, following his victory at the Australian Grand Prix.
Spanish, who missed the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to an appendix surgery, is expected to lose his place in the team to seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton in 2025.
“Unfortunately, I have no idea where I will be next year. It’s true that we are in negotiations with several teams,” said Sainz.
“I just need to stay focused on what I’m doing and prove to myself and everyone that I can maximize the potential of a fast car.
“I deliver, you know. It’s been a strong start… Teams know I’m available. Let’s see what happens,” Sainz concluded. (Reporting by Aadi Nair)
