It's been a long time coming for Charles Leclerc. Setback after setback has kept the Ferrari driver from a few podiums and even Formula 1 race wins – but no longer!
Charles Leclerc has won the Austrian Grand Prix ahead of current points leader Max Verstappen and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who placed second and third, respectively.
CHARLES WINS!!!
For the first time since Australia, @Charles_Leclerc will stand on the top step of the podium, with Max Verstappen 2nd and Lewis Hamilton 3rd #AustrianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Qi9p0x5VG0
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 10, 2022
The Monégasque driver was nothing short of overjoyed at the race win following a string of rather unfortunate incidents in races past.
Via The Guardian:
“It was a really good race. The pace was there. At the beginning we had some good fights with Max and the end was incredibly difficult. I had this issue with the throttle. It would get stuck at 20 or 30% throttle in the low speeds, so it was very tricky. We managed to make it stick until the end and I am so happy.
Leclerc started the season off as the frontrunner, winning two out of the first three F1 races on the calendar. However, a return to the top of the podium took much longer than expected – eight races to be exact – with bad luck plaguing him particularly in his last five races. After placing second in Miami, Leclerc missed the podium entirely going DNF, 4th, DNF, 5th, and 4th in the races prior to his Austria win.
“I definitely needed that one. The last five races have been incredibly difficult for myself and for the team. To finally show that we have the pace in the car and we can do it is incredible. We need to push until the end.”
Charles Leclerc trails Max Verstappen by 38 points for the world title, and didn't gain too much ground after his rival finished right behind him on the podium while also notching the fastest lap. However, the win could be what gets the Ferrari frontman out of his rut and back into the hunt for the top spot.
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