SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – Charles Leclerc had kept putting on a brave face as success escaped him and tensions mounted at Ferrari in a run of five F1 races without a podium spot for the driver.
After winning the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, Leclerc’s beaming smile was back.
Leclerc faced a big challenge in the closing laps as his throttle was not working properly, making it more difficult to control his speed into turns.
It was a different story for his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz Jr., whose hopes of a second-place finish in Austria dramatically ended when his engine blew as he was catching Formula One world champion Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.
Sainz got out as flames were licking his race suit. Unharmed, he sat on the grass to contemplate his bad luck.
Sainz won last weekend at the British GP, where Leclerc dropped from first to fourth.
After missing out there, Leclerc bounced back to hold off Verstappen in Austria by 1.5 seconds for a third win this season.
It was Leclerc’s first victory since the Australian GP in April. After second place at the United States GP in May, Leclerc’s five races included two DNFs, two fourth places and one fifth.
“I kept being optimistic, but obviously hard races after hard races it felt like everything was against me,” said Leclerc, who also won the Bahrain GP.
“Finally we had a breakthrough and it really feels good to have a win again.”
