Charles Leclerc says Ferrari doesn’t perceive the way it turned so aggressive in race trim on the Dutch Grand Prix, after being shocked to complete third at Zandvoort.
Ferrari had a troublesome weekend earlier than the race, with Leclerc qualifying sixth and Carlos Sainz failing to achieve Q3, however each vehicles made spectacular progress on Sunday to rise to 3rd and fifth respectively. Leclerc was in a position to maintain off Oscar Piastri for the ultimate podium spot and crossed the road simply 2.5 seconds behind Max Verstappen, however is at a loss as to the place Ferrari’s efficiency got here from.
“That may be a excellent query, and I feel the most effective query can also be to know why we have been 9 tenths off [in qualifying] and abruptly fairly sturdy [in the race],” Leclerc stated. “The automobile is precisely the identical. [In qualifying] we’ve been struggling like loopy. [In the race], we have been sturdy. And these are the sort of issues that we’ve started working on.
“I feel as a lot as we analyze each unhealthy surprises we’ve got throughout a season, we additionally want to know once we do one thing good. For now, I don’t suppose as a group we’ve got the reason. So it’s a terrific consequence. I’m actually blissful to be standing on the rostrum. And I feel it’s a extremely good shock. Nonetheless, we’ve bought to know so as to carry out extra usually at our greatest.”
Piastri had been operating forward of Leclerc at first of the race however Ferrari pulled off an early first pit cease to undercut each the McLaren and George Russell. Whereas Piastri rapidly cleared Russell after his personal cease he couldn’t get previous Leclerc, one thing that additionally shocked the Ferrari driver.
“It wasn’t [easy], 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 feel practically a second. Then when he bought nearer, I began to push a bit extra and achieve 5 tenths. And I feel with the soiled air, he in all probability misplaced three or 4 tenths.
“He managed to remain behind and to place me fairly below stress for 2, three laps, however then couldn’t keep there due to the overheating. It was a extremely good technique. I didn’t anticipate to maintain that third place till the top, however we did a extremely good job as a group. I don’t suppose there was something extra we may have finished.”
With the Italian Grand Prix at Monza this coming weekend, Leclerc admits he’s discovering it robust to have an concept how Ferrari will carry out as it’s going to deliver upgrades to its residence race.
“Once more, it’s very, very tough to foretell. If you’ll have requested me that query [on Saturday], I’ll have informed you it is going to be very tough. [Now] is a lot better. If we handle to know what’s occurring with our automobile, then I’m fairly optimistic concerning the future. However for now, we don’t fairly have the understanding but.
“We’ve bought an improve coming very quickly. Now I can say often because Fred [Vasseur] stated it, so it is going to be in Monza. And that, I hope, will assist us and assist us shut the hole. However till the upgrades, I at all times stated that the precedence for us was simply to do a harm limitation. And [at Zandvoort], we have been concentrating on P6.
“Realistically, I feel on paper, that’s what we have been combating for. Nonetheless, after three, 4 laps, the tempo was there. And we may do P3, which is an efficient shock once more. So good factors. Nonetheless, now I simply hope that the upgrades helps us to do a step ahead.”
