Leclerc confirms Monza Ferrari boost

Charles Leclerc has confirmed that Ferrari will introduce upgrades next weekend at the Italian Grand Prix. 

The Monegasque driver claimed a podium last weekend in Zandvoort which caught himself and Ferrari by surprise, as the Italian team had been targeting "damage limitation". 

Leclerc qualified in sixth for the Dutch Grand Prix which is where "on paper" the Maranello-based outfit was hoping to finish. 

Instead, Leclerc secured third ahead of Carlos Sainz in fifth, who recovered from 10th on the grid. 

With this weekend being Ferrari's home race, Leclerc has noted the significance of finishing on the podium ahead of Monza.

"It's super important," Leclerc told media including RacingNews365. "I think we've had three or four races where we were experimenting quite a lot to try and understand what were the fundamental issues of our car for the development, medium-term. 

"We've got an upgrade coming very soon. Now I can say actually because Fred said it, so it will be in Monza. And that, I hope, will help us and help us close the gap. 

"But until the upgrades, I always said that the priority for us was just to do a damage limitation. And today, we were targeting P6. Realistically, I think on paper, that's what we were fighting for. 

"However, after three, four laps, the pace was there. And we could do P3, which is a good surprise again. So good points. However, now I just hope that the upgrades helps us to do a step forward."

Leclerc 'optimistic'

Leclerc finishing third in Zandvoort marks his second consecutive podium after he inherited P3 in Belgium following George Russell's disqualification. 

The Ferrari driver remains third in the drivers' championship and has quietly been gathering strong points, despite not having a package performing consistently. 

Ferrari's key ahead of Monza is gaining a better understanding of how to get the SF-24 into the right operating window.

As things stand, Leclerc is unsure how well the upcoming races in Monza, Azerbaijan and Singapore will go.

"Again, it's very, very difficult to predict," said Leclerc. "If you will have asked me that question on Saturday, I will have told you it will be very difficult. 

"Sunday was much better. If we manage to understand what's going on with our car, then I'm quite optimistic about the future. 

"But for now, we don't quite have the understanding yet."