Charles Leclerc credited Ferrari’s pre-race preparation after his bold decision to start the Zandvoort Sprint on soft tyres delivered a second-place finish. While most drivers opted for the C3 medium compound, Leclerc and Haas’ Ollie Bearman were the only ones on the softer C4 rubber. The Monegasque overtook McLaren’s Lando Norris on Lap 18 to secure the result.
Leclerc admitted the move was a gamble but said the gamble worked because Ferrari had ‘done our homework’ in Friday practice. He described the tyre choice as either ‘very right or very wrong’ but noted the team’s confidence in the decision. Norris held the lead until Leclerc capitalized on a straight-line speed advantage, though Leclerc expected the soft tyres to lose grip toward the end.
Lewis Hamilton finished sixth, citing persistent discomfort with his car setup since Sprint Qualifying. He called the car’s handling ‘frustrating’ and vowed to make changes before the main race. The result marks a promising start to the second half of the season for Leclerc and Ferrari.
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