In the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, Charles Leclerc defeated Max Verstappen and re-entered the race for the Formula One driver’s championship.
To reclaim his first podium position since the Australian GP in April, the Ferrari driver had to pass Red Bull’s Max Verstappen three times.
Leclerc was able to cling on despite experiencing throttle problems toward the conclusion of the race and finished 1.532 seconds ahead of second place.
The 24-year-bad old’s run of form, in which he failed to finish on the podium in the previous five races, comes to an end with the triumph.
Verstappen’s advantage in the driver’s championship standings is also reduced by 38 points as the Ferrari driver passes Sergio Perez of Red Bull to take the second position.
Leclerc emphasized how significant the win was to him after the race.
It might have easily been a Ferrari one-two, but with 14 laps left in the race, Carlos Sainz’s campaign was abruptly ended by a fire in his car caused by an engine failure.
Verstappen was unable to secure what would have been a third straight victory at the Red Bull Ring despite being supported by hundreds of Dutch supporters because Leclerc’s speed was simply too much for him to handle.
Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, benefited from Sainz’s retirement as he rose from fourth to third.
Despite a disastrous start to the season, the 37-year-old finished on the podium for the third time in a row, moving up from his starting position of ninth.