Charles Leclerc endured another frustrating Sunday at the Austrian Grand Prix, admitting that Ferrari struggled not only with engine performance but also with overall race pace after finishing a disappointing eighth at the Red Bull Ring.
Another difficult Sunday for Charles Leclerc
Just 24 hours after narrowly missing out on pole position, Charles Leclerc crossed the finish line in eighth place, more than 45 seconds behind race winner George Russell and last among the drivers representing Formula 1’s four leading teams.
Although the result finally brought an end to the two consecutive scoreless weekends that followed the retirements in Monaco and Barcelona, the Monegasque driver collected only four championship points after a race in which he spent much of the afternoon being overtaken. Lewis Hamilton passed his Ferrari team-mate several times, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri also found their way past the SF-26.
As the race unfolded, Ferrari’s lack of straight-line speed became increasingly evident. The Scuderia appeared unable to match the power delivered by the Mercedes and Red Bull power units, a weakness that even Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli were heard discussing while speaking together in the post-race cooldown area.
Engine deficit was only part of the problem
Speaking to Sky Sport F1 after the race, Leclerc acknowledged Ferrari’s engine deficit but stressed that it was far from the only reason behind the disappointing result.
“Is the gap to the Mercedes-powered cars recoverable? Yes, it is recoverable, but at the moment we are really struggling with the engine. In every battle I had with the Red Bull team and the Mercedes-powered cars, there was very little I could do,” Leclerc explained.
The Ferrari driver was also keen to point out that the SF-26’s problems extended beyond its power unit.
“But it’s not all about the engine. Today we simply didn’t have the pace, especially on my side of the garage. I think the whole team struggled much more than we did in Barcelona, and I struggled even more personally. At times like these, all I can do is keep my head down, continue working and try to understand this car better because, even today, I found it very difficult.”
Ferrari will now shift its focus to the upcoming British Grand Prix at Silverstone, hoping the characteristics of the circuit will allow the SF-26 to return to a much more competitive level after a race weekend that exposed several of its current weaknesses.
