Charles Leclerc has landed a spot on the front row for the 2025 F1 Austrian GP, securing Ferrari’s first front start since Monaco. The Monégasque driver pushed the car to it’s limit but ultimately fell half a second short of the Brit. Leclerc underlined his optimism in regards to the team’s potential for tomorrow’s race pace. The Tifosi will hope this marks the beginning of an upward trajectory for the team.
Ferrari’s upgrade package delivered the performance boost needed to return Charles Leclerc to split the McLarens and earn a place on the front row at Spielberg.
Ferrari upgrades prove their worth
Leclerc acknowledged the importance of Ferrari’s new components in achieving the front row position. “We brought some new parts this weekend, which for sure made a difference because if you look at the gaps, everybody’s super close.” The Ferrari driver explained in a post-qualifying interview.
Leclerc confirmed the modifications performed as expected, stating: “The numbers that we expected, we had them, which is a good start. That means that we are working in the right direction.“
Acknowledging Norris’s exceptional performance
Despite lagging behind, Leclerc was quick to praise Norris’s pole position lap in Qualifying at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP. The half-second gap to the McLaren driver highlights a recurring theme of Norris’s exceptional qualifying pace.
“He must have done an incredible lap. I haven’t seen it yet because I just got out of the car, but I will take a look at it. Congrats to him. He deserves it,” Leclerc said when asked about Norris’s commanding pole position.
The Ferrari driver admitted his current machinery would not be capable of matching such a lap time. Though remained determined to challenge McLaren in tomorrow’s race.
Race day optimism despite a qualifying deficit
Leclerc expressed confidence about Ferrari’s race prospects, drawing on the team’s ability to recover from the inconsistency that plagued qualifying so far.
“We know that we have a better car normally in the race than we do in qualifying. So I hope that we can put a bit more pressure on McLaren tomorrow.” Leclerc said post-qualifying interviews.
The Ferrari driver accepts the significant gap to Norris but remains pragmatic about his chances. “I do not know if we have got the tools to fight for a victory tomorrow. However, as I said, we are normally very strong on Sunday compared to the qualifying pace, and this gives me hope.“
Breaking Qualifying struggles
The change in fortunes might be the breakthrough moment in Ferrari’s campaign so far. Leclerc highlighted how the team had been consistently fighting for mid-grid positions in qualifying sessions.
“It has been a very difficult season for us, qualifying-wise. We have always been fighting for P5, P6 in the best cases, apart from Monaco,” the driver revealed.
The Monaco result was described as a “one-off” performance, with the track often being known for its ability to throw up shocks amid qualifying.
Technical analysis reveals areas for improvement
“I think we are losing mostly on the high speed this weekend, which was expected. We expected to lose a little bit compared to McLaren in the high speed,” Leclerc explained to the media.
The Ferrari driver noted that their low-speed corner performance proved better than anticipated, suggesting the upgrade package addressed some fundamental issues with the car’s balance. Something that likely won’t pay until the Hungaroring in August.
Leclerc’s determination to “put more pressure than usual” on the leading McLaren drivers sets up an intriguing battle for victory. The upgrade package’s effectiveness gives Ferrari a platform to build upon for future race weekends.
