Leclerc hoping to bounce back ‘stronger’ in Austria after Barcelona GP

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is hoping to ‘come back stronger’ in Austria after a troubling weekend at the Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

Feature image credit: Ferrari Media Centre

Leclerc endured a pitiful weekend in Barcelona, which compounded on Saturday after he crashed out in Q3, on his first meaningful push lap. Despite being able to make up places for the grand prix, Leclerc’s race unravelled in the dying stages.

The Monegasque was forced to retire late on in the race, with an apparent problem with his power steering. The #16 Ferrari was able to limp back to the pits, just before his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, clinched his first-ever grand prix win with the team.

After a handful of troubling weekends, including his home race, the Ferrari driver is already looking forward to Austria, where he hopes to ‘come back stronger,’ with ‘a clean weekend.’ He said:

“There was an issue on my car towards the end of the race, and unfortunately, I had to retire early. Our team should be proud of the upgrades we brought to the car, which ramped up our performance to this level.

“Congratulations to Lewis for his first win with the team, he did a great job this weekend and put it all together today.

“I look forward to the next race now and hope we come back stronger in Austria with a clean weekend.”

Lewis Hamilton takes maiden Ferrari grand prix win at Barcelona-Catalunya

As F1 returned to Europe last weekend, with the first European race of the season in Monaco, the Monegasque would’ve hoped for a more favourable time in his home continent.

It marks the second consecutive race weekend where Leclerc has crashed during qualifying, having crashed late on in Q3 in Monaco and early on in the same third in Barcelona.

However, as shown by Hamilton, Leclerc should be hopeful that the new upgrades on the car can take the fight to Mercedes at the iconic Red Bull Ring, a circuit he has previously won at before in 2022.

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Lewis Hamilton takes maiden Ferrari grand prix win at Barcelona-Catalunya
• Russell takes Barcelona-Catalunya GP pole by 0.064s over Hamilton
• Antonelli reprimanded for FP3 erractic driving at Barcelona-Catalunya GP
• Why are McLaren and Red Bull looking to appeal FIA Decision?
• Mercedes ‘assessing’ after Gasly Monaco P3 is reinstated
• Pierre Gasly elated despite ‘challenging’ practice at Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix
• Honda set to lose $3million in upgrades as Aston Martin miss out on ADUO boost.

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.