Leclerc Reflects on 'Good' Barcelona Podium After Monaco Disappointment

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc secured a valuable third-place finish at the recent Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, a result that offered a measure of satisfaction, particularly when contrasted with the heartbreak of missing out on victory in Monaco just two weeks prior. While stating he wasn't "over the moon" solely for a third position, Leclerc admitted the outcome felt genuinely "good" and was a positive surprise given Ferrari's performance throughout the earlier stages of the Barcelona weekend. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya proved challenging for Ferrari initially. Despite anticipating improvements in race pace, the Scuderia found themselves off the ultimate pace during Friday practice and Saturday qualifying. Leclerc himself qualified a relatively distant seventh. The team had, however, made a strategic decision to compromise single-lap qualifying speed in favour of optimizing the SF25 for the longer race stints, a gamble that represented their primary hope for a strong Sunday performance. In the race, Leclerc's pace proved more competitive, at times even matching that of eventual race winner Oscar Piastri. Running a conventional two-stop strategy, the Monegasque driver settled into fourth place for much of the grand prix. The dynamic shifted dramatically with the deployment of a safety car. This bunched up the field, setting the stage for a crucial restart. Leclerc seized the opportunity when championship leader Max Verstappen experienced a moment of instability coming off the final corner. Capitalizing instantly, Leclerc executed a decisive pass into Turn 1 to elevate himself to the final podium position. Reflecting on the weekend, Leclerc highlighted the difference in feeling compared to Monaco. There, the team had demonstrated strong pace throughout practice and qualifying, making the failure to convert pole into victory a major disappointment. In Barcelona, conversely, the lack of early weekend pace meant the podium was an unexpected bonus. He acknowledged that luck, in the form of the safety car intervention and Verstappen's issue, played a role in securing the third spot. However, despite the positive result, Leclerc was candid about the need for Ferrari to make a significant step forward in overall performance to consistently compete at the very front. The podium finish in Barcelona represents a strong recovery for Leclerc after a difficult start to the event, securing important points for Ferrari. It demonstrates the team's ability to execute a strategy and react to race circumstances. Nevertheless, Leclerc's comments serve as a clear indicator that while the result was welcome, Ferrari understands the fundamental need to improve their underlying pace if they are to challenge for wins consistently in the races to come.