Perez and Leclerc in Austria — Photo: © LAT Images

Austrian Grand Prix

Leclerc "pretty angry" with Perez after twice shunted into the gravel

Sainz fought from 10th to fifth to earn vital points for Ferrari

Ewan Gale

Sunday 4 July 2021 21:10

Charles Leclerc has revealed to feeling "pretty angry" with Sergio Perez after twice being forced off track by the Red Bull driver during the Austrian Grand Prix.

On both occasions, Leclerc ended up in the gravel after attempting moves around the outside of Perez at turns four and six.

The incidents resulted in Perez being handed two separate five-second penalties that cost him fifth place to Leclerc's Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz.

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Leclerc finished eighth after Ferrari split strategies with its drivers, with the Monégasque starting on the medium compound before switching to the hard.

"We were sure on the race with the race pace but we didn't have the tyre advantage of the reverse strategy so it was very difficult to overtake," said Leclerc.

"Every opportunity I could see, I was going for it and it didn't work out. I was pretty angry in the car because obviously, it felt like I had no space.

"I knew the overtakes were quite optimistic but on the other hand, I had to if I wanted to make it work. There was no space on the outside in the exit of the corner but it's life."

Perez did at least apologise to Leclerc soon after the race.

Sainz praises Ferrari for strategy "risk"

In contrast, Sainz was left buoyant after rising five places from 10th on the grid to fifth at the flag after being on the opposite strategy to Leclerc in starting on the hard tyre and going long before a second stint on the medium.

The Spanish driver, however, has conceded to concern in the early stages of the race when he struggled for pace on the hard tyre.

"It was a difficult one because lap one, one sector we were on the hard against the medium and the soft and I was like 'I am going nowhere'," explained Sainz.

"It was a bit of a risky move to start on the hard tyre but I remained patient and suddenly around lap 10 or 15 I was like 'I have gone through the worst, it is about taking these tyres as long as I can and come back at the end'.

"We managed to execute that and it was good fun in the last 20 laps."