Leclerc kicked off his 2024 campaign with a podium finish at the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, following teammate Carlos Sainz’s third-place victory in Bahrain the previous week.
Starting from second position behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen in both races, Leclerc’s season has commenced on a far more promising note compared to last year, where he retired from the season opener due to Ferrari’s race pace struggles against Red Bull.
Although Leclerc’s 18-second gap behind Verstappen in Jeddah might appear disheartening, the Monegasque driver views Ferrari’s progress this season as a positive indicator that they could soon exert more pressure on Red Bull if they maintain their current trajectory.
“It’s been a positive race. I think we are taking small steps in the right direction,” Leclerc commented. “If I look back over the last six, seven months, we are the team that has improved the most and we are slowly closing the gap. The gap is still quite big, but if we keep working like that, I’m sure it’s a matter of time before we put the Red Bull under a bit more pressure.”
However, Leclerc tempered expectations for immediate breakthroughs, noting that Ferrari’s upcoming package for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne will likely remain similar to the current one.
“I don’t think we’ll have many new things in Melbourne, so without new things in Melbourne, I think we are doing a good job by maximizing our package at the moment,” Leclerc cautioned. “So, that’s where we are. We’ll probably have to wait and see whenever we have new parts to the car, what kind of step we do forward. And hopefully, that will bring us closer to Red Bull.”
Discussing potential areas for improvement, Leclerc emphasized the significance of even small gains in motorsport. “Three or four-tenths is a lot in the world of motorsport. However, when you look at every part of the car, if you are gaining 0.010s per part then you are straight away gaining that,” he explained.
He remained optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects, highlighting the team’s dedication to improvement and the clarity regarding areas needing development. “I’m sure that our moment will come. I don’t know what Red Bull has in the pocket in terms of upgrades but that will define when exactly we’ll be able to match them,” Leclerc concluded.
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