Charles Leclerc was disappointed in Formula 1’s latest test of strength at the Red Bull Ring: after taking advantage of Max Verstappen’s crash in qualifying to celebrate second on the grid, he was unable to overcome eighth place in Sunday’s race. The disappointing form raised many questions. There were questions he couldn’t answer in those days when the checkered flag fell, as he admitted in the Silverstone paddock.
“Of course, it helped that the weekend went without any major problems; with each lap in Austria the trend was emerging. On Saturday we were quite strong, but on Sunday everything changed, and so far it is different from the season. Because we are usually stronger in the race than in qualifying. So we had a lot of work to do, and the team and I had to do a lot to understand what we could do better on Sunday,” said the Monegasque.
Less fun to drive on traditional routes
“Of course, Sunday’s race was not easy for the team and especially for me. So it will be better if I work as hard as I can to understand what was wrong in a few races. To be honest, the last few races were difficult, but it was clear to me what was causing me problems. Then we made changes and my feel and pace improved. But in Austria on Sunday I had a lot more problems than before and I made a lot of effort to understand some things. “I don’t know if it’s enough, it’s never really enough and I will continue to work as hard as I can and try to achieve more,” the 28-year-old added.
Apart from personal concerns, there is also a concern about the driving pleasure at traditional circuits such as Silverstone, which Leclerc shares with all drivers. He says: “I think it’s a bit frustrating for most drivers because circuits like Silverstone, Spa or Suzuka are circuits where qualifying rewarded the bravest. You were on the limit and at very high speeds. Now the high-speed corners are more like mid-speed corners because of the changed energy management and I don’t know exactly what to expect. I have my suspicions and I’m sure it won’t be as special as before.”