Steiner backs Leclerc despite Hamilton momentum: 'He will be the old Charles back'

After five races, the battle between Ferrari’s two drivers is almost perfectly balanced. Both Leclerc and Hamilton have secured two podium finishes each so far, although the Monegasque holds a slim three-point advantage in the drivers’ standings, leading 75 to 72.

Hamilton, however, delivered a major response at the most recent round in Canada, claiming a hugely valuable second place after overtaking Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the race. Leclerc, by contrast, endured arguably his toughest weekend of the season so far, eventually bringing home fourth place.

Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, the Italian-American praised Hamilton’s performance in Canada and jokingly suggested the Briton should avoid the simulator more often after securing such a strong result. At the same time, however, he stressed that Leclerc had simply endured an unusually difficult weekend, something the Monegasque himself had openly admitted.

Despite Hamilton’s impressive race, Steiner made it clear he does not believe one strong result is enough to suddenly place the seven-time world champion ahead of Leclerc in Ferrari’s internal hierarchy, insisting the Monegasque remains one of the top drivers on the grid and will quickly bounce back from his struggles.

Raikkonen believes Ferrari may finally be heading back in the right direction after years of frustration for the Italian team. Speaking to Quotidiano Nazionale, the 2007 world champion admitted he had hoped the Scuderia would quickly return to title-winning ways after his departure at the end of 2018, but acknowledged that moment still has not arrived. Even so, the Finn revealed he has started to notice positive signs coming from Maranello.

Ferrari’s wait for a drivers’ title has now stretched back to Raikkonen’s dramatic triumph in 2007, when the Finn snatched the championship from Hamilton at the final race in Brazil to secure the only world title of his career. The Scuderia’s drought in the Constructors’ Championship has lasted almost as long, with Ferrari still without a crown since 2008 - another unforgettable Interlagos finale, although that time it was Hamilton who celebrated at Ferrari’s expense.