Leclerc: Last races show Ferrari are doing something right

The team head into this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix third in the constructors' championship, level on points with McLaren, and buoyed by two consecutive podium finishes.

It was teammate Carlos Sainz who tasted champagne last time out in Hungary with a third-place finish, while Leclerc went close to a win at the British Grand Prix, only to be passed by Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages.

A first lap collision cost Leclerc a shot at more success in Hungary but far from impatient, the Monegasque driver predicted that "happiness" was not too far away for the Scuderia.

“Obviously, I would love to be in the fight for the title with them and it is great to see that there is actually a battle,” he told The Race.

On the other hand, I am very happy with where I am now and it’s an incredible challenge to have the duty to bring Ferrari back to the top. The story will only be better if we managed to do so as a team.

“We’ll keep working and I’m sure the happiness will come very soon.”

After something of a slow start, Ferrari burst into life in Monaco, with Leclerc grabbing pole position, a feat he repeated a week later.

The 23-year-old was unable to start his home race due to the damage sustained in a crash during qualifying, but the team have looked more competitive since, barring a tough outing at the French Grand Prix.

Looking ahead to the second half of the season, with Sainz and Leclerc sixth and seventh in the standings respectively, Leclerc stated with confidence that things are heading in the "right direction".

"The last races shows we are doing something right,” he added.

“We have been working very hard. If you look where we started at the beginning of last year and where we are now, it is a very different situation and I think this is because and thanks to all the work from the team.

“So I am confident everything we are doing is going in the right direction. It doesn’t give us any certainty that it’s going to be much better next year, but I feel like if we keep working like this I trust that we will be back to where want to be, which is to win regularly very soon," Leclerc concluded.

The Ferrari man took his first ever win in F1 at Spa-Francorchamps back in 2019 and while the win may not be on the table this time, do not rule him out of a podium finish.