Charles Leclerc said Ferrari are “just not fast enough” having just missed out the podium in the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Starting the race in second, Leclerc looked likely to secure his first top-three finish of the year but lost an immediate spot to George Russell before being overtaken by Lando Norris late in the grand prix.

Charles Leclerc laments Ferrari lack of pace in Bahrain

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

It has been a frustrating season so far for the Ferrari man with the Italian outfit a step behind McLaren, Mercedes and Max Verstappen.

Leclerc, who was relativley optmsitic after quali, had any hope sucked out from him in the opening lap as he lost ground to Russell and was forced to defend from Norri sbehind.

With the McLaren driver picking up a five-second penalty for a false start, Leclerc was given respite but ultimately lost the spot in the closing stages of the race.

“We’re just not fast enough,” he told media including PlanetF1.com. “We can put it in different ways.

“We pushed a little bit in the first stint and the second stint was faster, but just because of degradation.

“And then when we found ourselves in the same boat as everyone at the end, we were just struggling for pace just like at the beginning of the race, compared to the others.

“So I think the pace was just missing. Then obviously, when the pace is missing, whatever strategy you do, you’re always on the wrong side of things.”

The safety car timing appeared to hurt Leclerc who was on fresher rubber than those around him but even if that had not taken place, the driver did not believe it would have made too big a difference.

More reaction from the race in Bahrain

‘Everything went wrong’ for Max Verstappen with Bahrain GP woes analysed

George Russell explains cause of DRS issue that could land him a penalty

“I don’t think it will have changed a lot, maybe a little bit, I don’t know,” Leclerc, who is fifth in the standings, said.

“I think we were just not fast enough, and I was starting to struggle a little bit behind George. My tyres were overheating.

“So I think we could have pushed him to go in, which would have been great, but we didn’t manage to.

“It was the right choice considering what we had but when you look at George, he obviously managed to make those soft lasts until the end.

“I don’t think that this was a possibility for us, but we’ll review that. But I don’t think that was a game-changer.”

Read next: What Lando Norris said to George Russell after ‘easy’ Oscar Piastri Bahrain GP win