F1, Ferrari: Charles Leclerc explains the gap with the two McLarens

In the Austrian Grand Prix, the eleventh round of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, Ferrari confirms its role as the second strongest team on the track, but it still has to contend with an impregnable McLaren. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri also dominate at the Red Bull Ring, signing a new one-two that leaves little room for opponents. Behind them, Charles Leclerc takes a valuable third place, but with the knowledge that there is still a long way to close the gap.
The Monegasque driver analyzed his race at the end of the race: “I evaluate our weekend as a team very well. But the pace was not enough” he said. The key to the race was already played out at the start, when Leclerc focused too much on Norris and left room for Piastri: “In the first corner I thought about attacking, but Lando closed the door on me and Oscar passed me”, he explained, adding realistically: “In any case they were too fast, third place was the best possible result. I do not have many regrets about what we did today, we gave everything”.
Leclerc also admitted that he may have asked too much of the tires in the first stint: “With the first set I think I pushed a little too hard at the beginning. I wanted to try to follow the McLarens and I had a little bit more degradation, however, that’s part of the game”, he recounted.
Looking to the future, Leclerc did not hide his ambitions: “We need more speed. We have brought upgrades that have helped us, but we need to keep pushing to close the gap to McLaren”. And on his personal goal he was clear: “I will do everything to get back to the top step of the podium, that is my priority. The whole team deserves it and I hope that in the next races it will be the right time”.
So Ferrari returns from Spielberg with positive signs, but the hunt for McLarens continues, with the next round at Silverstone.