What’s wrong with Ferrari again? They were challenging Red Bull at the start of the season but have now reverted to their old form. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc had a terrible sprint qualifying at the Red Bull Ring today. Understandably upset, Leclerc will start tenth in tomorrow’s sprint. Ferrari’s ‘Golden Boy’ wanted to redeem his team from the nightmares of the last two races. But alas! He was far from making his dream come true.

Charles was unable to set a lap time in the SQ3 session. A major problem in the pit lane caused him to cross the line after the chequered flag. However, his teammate Carlos Sainz finished fifth, right ahead of Lewis Hamilton, and an enraged Charles Leclerc was heard blaring on the radio: “What the hell happened, guys?” To which race engineer Bryan Bozzi replied, “We took the antistall.”

Further frustrated, Leclerc retorted, “Thank you, but anti-stall cannot stop the engine. The engine switched off! I don’t know if you noticed. There was no engine. The ignition went to off so I had to re-do the whole thing.” To subside further speculations, Bozzi suggested to Charles Leclerc that they would talk about the problem in the garage. Quick FYI: Antistall prevents F1 engines from stalling when the car stops or RPM drops too low.

Speaking after the SQ sessions, Charles added, “We weren’t super strong but definitely better than P10. It’s a bit disappointing.” While Leclerc suffered a major setback, teams like Alpine showed progress. Finishing in the top 10, ahead of Charles, both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly made a comeback in Spielberg. Here are some takeaways from today’s Sprint Qualifying.

Charles Leclerc’s upset and other incidents at the Austrian GP Sprint Qualifying

Will it be a surprise that Max Verstappen finished at P1? No. Despite his engine issues, Verstappen has truly outclassed every driver on the grid. Meanwhile, McLaren finished in the top three. Another outstanding performance by the ‘Papayas’. Sergio Perez ended with a disappointing P7, and Geroge Russell once again waved the Mercedes banner high.

It wasn’t the kind of day Leclerc had expected, although the main race and its qualifying have yet to take place. Now, one is bound to think if this condition prevails for Ferrari, what will be the result then? Another weekend spent in disappointment, maybe, but again, it is too early to predict.

Now, as Ferrari moves ahead with their baggage, tomorrow will be a crucial day for the Prancing Horse. Charles Leclerc’s frustration was evident after an anti-stall system failure caused his engine to shut off. Despite the setback, there were positive takeaways for other teams, with McLaren and Alpine showing strong performances. As the main race approaches, the question still remains: can Ferrari turn their fortunes around?

What’s your take, do you think it can be another weekend of disappointment? Share your thoughts in the comments.