Charles Leclerc finished eighth at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. He started from second place but was unable to turn his Saturday pace into meaningful points.
What happened?
Leclerc had a difficult race, struggling with very low grip overall. He had trouble getting the car and tyres in the right window, especially the rears, which were missing a lot of rear grip.
Why it matters for Charles Leclerc
Leclerc has been on a difficult run of form, with retirements in Monaco and Barcelona, both of which followed crashes in qualifying. He looked to have turned this around on Saturday, qualifying his Ferrari on the front row of the grid alongside eventual race-winner George Russell.
What comes next?
Leclerc was unsure why things had changed so much overnight, reflecting that his car was better suited to single-lap pace. He added that it's always a bit of a bet, but it's a feeling, and he thought that was the right direction yesterday.
Leclerc said: "It was just an incredibly difficult race. I just struggled to have the car and the tyres, especially, in the right window, especially the rears, just missing a lot of rear grip."
He gathered just four points for finishing in eighth place, and a lap down on the leaders. Leclerc was left mystified by his performance, conceding there is 'always a reason I struggle'.
But Leclerc was working very hard in the past weeks because there was always one reason or another that made him struggle on the Sunday or on the Saturday. He thinks he's got to find a clear picture of what he wants from this car.
The problems were a matter of oversteer and understeer, or whether there was something more sinister behind his problems. Leclerc said: "There's a lot down to that. I think also car characteristics swing a lot the performance this year as well."
He finished the race on Sunday, a lap down on the leaders, and was unsure why things had changed so much overnight. Leclerc was happy with the car on Saturday, but it wasn't the right direction on Sunday.
Leclerc will look to improve his performance in the next race, seeking to find a clear picture of what he wants from his car. He will work hard to turn his Saturday pace into meaningful points, and to overcome the struggles he faced in the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Austrian Grand Prix was a difficult race for Leclerc, but he will look to bounce back in the next race. He will seek to improve his car balance and to find a way to overcome the low grip that plagued him on Sunday.
Leclerc's finish in eighth place was a disappointment, but he will look to improve in the next race. He will work hard to find a way to overcome the struggles he faced, and to turn his Saturday pace into meaningful points.
He started from second place, but was unable to turn his pace into a good finish. Leclerc finished the race with just four points, and a lap down on the leaders.
The next race will be a chance for Leclerc to bounce back, and to find a way to overcome the struggles he faced in the Austrian Grand Prix. He will seek to improve his car balance, and to find a way to overcome the low grip that plagued him on Sunday.
Leclerc will look to improve his performance, and to find a clear picture of what he wants from his car. He will work hard to turn his Saturday pace into meaningful points, and to overcome the struggles he faced in the Austrian Grand Prix.