Charles Leclerc cut a frustrated figure after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, claiming he "just cannot accept the situation" Ferrari is in.
It has been a difficult start to the F1 season for the Italian team, with Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton only having one grand prix podium - along with a sprint podium and win - to show for their efforts after seven rounds.
Despite championship-winning aspirations heading into the campaign, the Maranello-based squad is fourth, 165 points adrift of McLaren atop the constructors' standings.
The SF-25 has seldom looked competitive over one lap all year It saw the Ferrari team-mates qualify P11 and P12, respectively, at Imola.
Whilst they both fought their way through in the grand prix, finishing fourth and sixth, Leclerc had to put in an aggressive and robust display to come home behind Hamilton, with Alex Albon in between.
"I was saying before the race, it was one of the races where you've got to race with the heart and you've got to put the elbows out a little bit," Leclerc said to Sky Sports F1.
"I know that when it's like this, you go very much on the limit, sometimes a little bit over. But when you are starting P11, I mean, as a driver, I just cannot accept the situation we are in."
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Leclerc's first encounter was with Pierre Gasly in the opening laps. The Monegasque driver pushed the Alpine wide and onto the grass, dropping the one-time grand prix winner from ninth to P14 as the Ferrari charged through.
The second was an uncompromising defence on Albon in the closing stages, leaving the Williams to take to the gravel trap, falling behind Hamilton in the process.
After that was noted by race control and subsequently due to be investigated by the stewards, Ferrari told Leclerc to let the Thai driver through.
"I took risks," he reflected. "I don't think that with Pierre Gasly, I was particularly at fault or over the limit. It was just a racing incident in the way it was.
"With Alex, it was very much on the limit, for sure. I thought that in the way the rules are written, I was right on the limit of those rules.
"I've got to check the images again, but I don't regret anything I've done. [The race] was all about giving it all. I knew from the moment that I didn't take the pit stop on the second safety car that it was going to be a very difficult race."
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes and Nick Golding, as they are joined by former Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski to look back on Imola and look ahead to Monaco! Max Verstappen's victory is a lead talking point, as is McLaren suffering a surprise defeat.
Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!
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