Scuderia Ferrari delivered a significantly improved performance during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, securing their best grid positions of the Formula 1 season to date. Charles Leclerc will start Sunday`s race from second place, impressively splitting the dominant McLaren cars, while teammate Lewis Hamilton achieved his highest grid slot yet for the Italian squad, qualifying fourth.
The boost in form comes after Ferrari introduced a new floor upgrade package for their SF-25 car this weekend at the Red Bull Ring. The results immediately validated the hard work undertaken back at the Maranello factory.
Hamilton Praises Team Execution
Speaking after the session, Lewis Hamilton was particularly effusive about the team`s operational performance during the critical qualifying laps. “It`s a fantastic result,” he commented. “Considering yesterday we were a lot further off, for us to be much closer and on the second row is really fantastic. And for Charles on the front row too.”
Hamilton highlighted the precision behind the scenes. “I think it`s been the best day operationally, particularly through qualifying. Just timings, the information we`re getting in terms of traffic and positioning on track, I think was really the best and proper world-class, so that`s what we`ve been working towards.” He admitted a minor error on his final attempt potentially cost him a spot on the front row, placing him within a tenth of both Leclerc and the third-placed McLaren of Oscar Piastri.
The seven-time world champion also touched upon the considerable external pressure often faced by Ferrari, especially during periods of underperformance. “Ultimately we continue to pull together and protect each other and block out all the noise, and just keep our heads down,” he stated, emphasizing the team`s focus on gradual progress. “It`s an incredible team. I`m working with Fred [Vasseur], we`re working to put all the pieces of the puzzle in the right place, but step by step. It can`t be done in one go. We`ve just got to keep working on it, but I`m really happy with the progress we are making.”
Leclerc Eyes Race Pace Advantage
Charles Leclerc, securing his equal best qualifying result of the season, was also positive about the team`s step forward. “The upgrades definitely helped us,” he confirmed. “How much? It`s difficult to know, especially when you see how fine the margins are – apart from Lando [Norris] – but it definitely helped us to get the front row, so for that we should be proud of the work done.”
While acknowledging Lando Norris`s significant pole position margin, Leclerc expressed confidence in Ferrari`s traditional strength on Sundays. “Apart from that, I think we did a great job. We worked very well this weekend and I`m looking forward to tomorrow because most of the time our race car is better than our qualifying car.”
He remained cautiously optimistic about challenging for the win. “I will give it all. We will see, I don`t have the answers for now. The gap is very big today but tomorrow with tyre management, I think that we have a good car on that. Whether it will be as good as McLaren, I don`t know, but I will do absolutely everything to make McLaren`s life as tough as possible.”
Context and Challenges
Ferrari`s strong showing was aided, in part, by yellow flags in the dying moments of qualifying. A spin by Pierre Gasly disrupted the final laps of key rivals, including Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen, potentially solidifying Leclerc and Hamilton`s positions. Despite this, the overall performance improvement was evident, allowing them to outperform recent front-runners like Mercedes and genuinely challenge the McLarens.
For Lewis Hamilton, the focus remains on securing his first Grand Prix podium since joining Ferrari. He is currently on a run of 12 races without a top-three finish, just one shy of his career-worst streak. When asked about ending the drought, Hamilton offered a wry response, reflecting on previous races: “Every race, I`ve been saying I can`t wait to get that first podium, so I`m not going to say that today! I`m just going to stay quiet and try to do a better job tomorrow.”
With their improved grid positions and a car potentially better suited to race conditions, Ferrari appears poised for a much more competitive Sunday at the Austrian Grand Prix, hoping to translate their qualifying potential into meaningful championship points.
