Leclerc hails Ferrari for "pushing massively on upgrades"
Originally published by F1Technical
Despite his difficult weekend at the Barcelona-Catalunya track, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was left to hail the Scuderia's efforts that saw the Italian team achieve a big jump in performance thanks to its latest aerodynamic package.
Lewis Hamilton delivered a commanding and emotionally charged first victory for Ferrari, converting bold strategy, relentless pace and flawless execution into a landmark triumph for the Scuderia.
While Hamilton celebrated a breakthrough that instantly entered Ferrari folklore, Charles Leclerc endured another painful afternoon. The Monegasque made an excellent start from P10, climbing to seventh and overtaking Oscar Piastri as he began to carve his way forward.
He then spent much of the race locked in combat with Max Verstappen, showing competitive pace and the potential to fight for a strong points finish. But late in the race, his hopes evaporated when a power‑steering issue forced him to retire — his second consecutive race without seeing the chequered flag.
Leclerc was candid and composed as he reflected on the disappointment. “There was an issue on my car towards the end of the race, and unfortunately, I had to retire early.
"Our team should be proud of the upgrades we brought to the car, which ramped up our performance to this level. Congratulations to Lewis for his first win with the team, he did a great job this weekend and put it all together today.”
He added that he was already looking ahead. “I look forward to the next race now and hope we come back stronger in Austria with a clean weekend.”
Leclerc also addressed his role in Hamilton’s charge through the field, moving aside when his teammate approached on fresher tyres. “I don't want to take any credit for today, I don't think I did much for team,” he said, emphasising that the victory belonged entirely to Hamilton and the crew.
“I think Lewis and the team won it on their own and I wish I had been a bit more in front. Been a bit more in the mix of things but I wasn't for my fault. A huge congratulations to Lewis who has been on it for quite a bit and has been incredible.”
He closed with praise for Ferrari’s development push — and frustration at his own misfortune. “And a huge congrats to the team who is pushing massively on upgrades and we are showing it now. It's good to see this, I'm just very disappointed in my side obviously.”