Ferrari got an unexpected boost at the Dutch Grand Prix when Charles Leclerc earned a podium finish, lifting the team’s spirits ahead of their home race in Formula 1.
Leclerc started from sixth position on Sunday but managed to pass Red Bull’s Sergio Perez right away. He also moved ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and the fast McLaren of Oscar Piastri.
Leclerc managed to keep Piastri behind him, securing third place, while his teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. moved up from 10th on the grid to finish fifth.
This result was better than what Ferrari had expected. Leclerc had said the team was aiming for sixth place as a way to limit damage before they get car upgrades at their next race in Monza.
This boost is well-timed for a team that began 2024 with hopes of winning but has since fallen behind.
“I’m very, very surprised. I’m not usually happy with a P3, but today we can be extremely happy with the job we did on a tough weekend for the team,” Leclerc said.
“We’d been struggling from Friday until the race. During the race, we found more speed and executed a perfect strategy. It was a really strong race for the team and I’m really happy to start the second half of the season like this.”
Ferrari started the season as the closest competitor to Red Bull, though they weren’t very close. Over the past three months, they have fallen behind McLaren and Mercedes.
In the six races since Leclerc’s second win of the season at Monaco in May, Ferrari has only been on the podium three times. Meanwhile, McLaren and Mercedes have been winning races and putting pressure on Red Bull.
