Charles Leclerc says Ferrari need to make as much progress with their forthcoming upgrade as McLaren did last weekend.
Six rounds into the season, Leclerc is the closest rival to championship leader Max Verstappen besides the Red Bull driver’s team mate. However Leclerc remains yet to win a race this year.The performance of McLaren’s upgraded car last weekend in Miami, which Lando Norris used to score his first grand prix victory, indicated they may have overtaken Ferrari to become the closest threat to Red Bull. Leclerc was pleased with his performance after continuing his run of top-four finishes last weekend, but says Ferrari need to take a step forward to remain competitive.
“If we compare ourselves to Max this weekend, it’s been a positive weekend,” he said after Sunday’s race. “However, we cannot completely ignore Lando.
“Lando in SQ2, I remember he did a lap where I was like, ‘okay, they are extremely quick’. Then for some reason, and as Lando said, I think they weren’t as special on Saturday for some reason. But today they were really, really strong.”
Ferrari is yet to bring a significant upgrade for its SF-24. With the start of the European season next week bringing an increase in the rate of events, Leclerc said their first major package for the car will be critical to their chances over the rest of the season.
“As I’ve said many times, I think the season will be up to upgrades. We have ours coming very soon and that will define a little bit the rest of the season for us.
“So we’ve got to work hard and hopefully those upgrades will be as good as theirs and will help us to do a significant step forward.”
Asked whether Ferrari’s upgrade will arrive in time for the next round, their home race at Imola, Leclerc said: “It’s soon.”
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2024 Miami Grand Prix
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- Alonso’s unusual brake problem and more unheard Miami team radio
- McLaren’s Miami upgrade success points to even stronger form in coming races
- Norris expects more wins this year and believes “100%” in 2025 title bid
Osnola
7th May 2024, 12:23
So after a devastating start of the season things progress nicely.
Lets hope both teams get their stuff on track with the desired result.
If so we will enjoy a nice season after all.
Now hamilton stopped his on track experiments, the team will at last collect the needed data to better the car.
So another contestant in a few races?
Nick T.
8th May 2024, 20:04
Nothing changed in how Hamilton and Mercedes approached the weekend. The difference was just that, for reasons they still don’t understand, the conditions and setup just happened to work together this time.
Osnola
9th May 2024, 12:37
Yes there is, and according to lewis himself.
Normally pn fridat there was a start setup. Often lewis was satisfied abput the balance but the car was to slow. As a result he pressed for big changes trying to break the spell. As a result the engineers could not collect the data they wanted. Apart from georges car, who followed the setup advices by the engineering dept.
The results of lewis setups are known and almost collevtively bad.
He decided to follow the engineering advices as of now.
BLS (@brightlampshade)
7th May 2024, 12:37
I think Ferrari need to put some serious thought into sensible team orders, they keep holding themselves up by not letting faster drivers past. It’s a recurring theme for Ferrari, and it’s probably only going to get worse next year.
Nick T.
8th May 2024, 20:07
It’s easy to stay on someone’s tail in the same car with DRS. And Leclerc seemed to be clearly managing his tires to meet the long stint length Ferrari was looking for.
An Sionnach
9th May 2024, 11:10
Perhaps if one driver wants to ruin his tyres without even subscribing to a team strategy, his team mate should let him go right ahead so he pushes the rival teams into also chewing through their tyres? He can then be passed later.
I joke a little as in Miami it might be very difficult to get past, even when the other guy has worn his tyres out.
Nick T.
9th May 2024, 12:42
Indeed. Let them past with the proviso they must pull away by at least three seconds within 3-4 laps.
Jeanrien (@jeanrien)
7th May 2024, 13:20
The true surprise if it gets confirmed is McLaren development. Last year step was seen as impressive and a one off, unlikely to be repeated but they might well prove all that it can be done again.
Given where they were couple of seasons ago, this should certainly raise questions at Ferrari, Mercedes and even Aston.
Comment conditioned to the form being confirmed at other venues though.
Nick T.
8th May 2024, 20:10
Indeed. We need to see if this pace relative to RBR and the teams behind is confirmed in the next race. I suspect it won’t.
Teams having different success in upgrades development is as old as F1 itself. So, teams should always be questioning if they could do more to improve both consistency and the average gains made in development.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
7th May 2024, 22:39
I’m expecting some wild swings between the different tracks at this time of year. My advice to Ferrari: lose the blue bits.
Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
8th May 2024, 7:02
I agree, there will likely be tracks that suit the Red Bull more and they will be unstoppable no matter what. But we will probably have more of these one-offs, if McLaren and Ferrari get closer they only need a bit of luck to challenge on any particular weekend.
Is that enough to mount a championship challenge? Definitely not this year, but maybe in 2025. Probably not in 2025 either, but I won’t close that door yet.
Nick T.
8th May 2024, 20:14
I’m also beginning to question whether this year’s car was actually much, if any, of an upgrade on last year’s RBR chassis. They had such a massive advantage last year that it seems unlikely the gap to the teams behind would have been smaller, if not greater, had they just continued to develop that chassis rather than introduce this one.
Osnola
9th May 2024, 12:38
Its a pity they did not listen to you then…
Nick T.
9th May 2024, 12:46
Mature. I pose it as an interesting theory. Not as a criticism. Nor have I said in the past they should have kept the old chassis.
Any time you question whether a team made the right decision in the future, I’ll note what a shame it is they didn’t listen to you…
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
8th May 2024, 17:49
I don’t really think Miami was terribly representative.