Charles Leclerc voices Ferrari frustration: 'We paid the price'

Charles Leclerc has conceded Ferrari “paid the price” during the Austrian Grand Prix as it was forced to manage its pace.

Leclerc secured his fourth podium of the season with a run to third around the Red Bull Ring, following home the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The Monegasque was almost 20 seconds behind the race leader, while he was relatively unchallenged by the competition behind.

“There weren’t very many key moments on my side,” Leclerc told media including RacingNews365.

“Obviously, at the start, I wish I had done a bit of a better job to be completely alongside Lando. Maybe that would have changed a little bit for three or four laps.

“I don’t think we had the pace to stay there in front. Basically, from Turn 1 to the end, it was a very boring race.” 

During the race, a team radio communication was broadcast on the live feed in which Leclerc was instructed to lift and coast.

Leclerc stated it was a race-long element he had to consider, which dramatically dented his pace during the grand prix.

“I was on my own, just trying to manage quite a few issues that we had on our side,” he said.

“Let’s not call them issues, but we’ve got to do some management in the situation we’re in at the moment. I won’t go into the detail, but the lift and coast was a little bit frustrating.

“We paid a bit of the price for it on the first stint, but then the second and last stint were a bit more positive, which was good. 

“But there weren’t many key moments apart from the start.”