SPIELBERG, Austria – Ferrari team principal, Mattia Binotto, was concerned about the reliability of Charles Leclerc’s car at the end of the Austrian Grand Prix so he was unable to watch the final three laps.
Leclerc won the race but in the closing stages it was reported that his throttle remained open as championship competitor Max Verstappen approached him.
With 15 laps remaining, Carlos Sainz’s second Ferrari had to be retired in flames and Binotto feared his team might finish the race without scoring a single point.
“I have to admit I was nervous,” said Mattia Binotto. “I’m also disappointed by what happened to Carlos, but I was so worried that I stopped watching the race for the last three laps.”
Leclerc said the situation was also tense in the cockpit as he focused on keeping Verstappen at bay.
“It’s not just a little stressful – very stressful,” he said. “The throttle is very inconsistent and in the middle of a corner it will get a little stuck no matter what percentage.
“On Turn 3, it’s complicated because that’s where you don’t want any extra corners at medium speed. It’s pretty tough to manage, not so much at high speeds, mostly at speed. the pace was slow but we managed to get the car to the end, which was amazing.”
When asked what exactly was wrong with Leclerc’s car, Binotto said: “I think we need to confirm. From what I’ve heard, the initial response is that it’s more like a machine. But I no more details than that.”
It was Leclerc’s first win since the Australian Grand Prix in April and he said it was crucial to kick-start his championship campaign.
“I definitely need it, of course whenever I’m in a new race, since five races [ago] I have a smile on my face and I continue to be optimistic but obviously tough races after tough races it feels like everything is going against me,” he said again.
