It’s not the beaming smile from the Monza circuit that we see on Charles Leclerc’ face on the Baku podium at the . It couldn’t be. Starting from pole, Charles Leclerc wasn’t able to bring his Ferrari to victory in Baku, but the calendar offers an immediate opportunity for redemption in Singapore.
Since the Dutch Grand Prix, Ferrari seems to have returned to fighting at the front, securing top positions at both Monza and Baku. The triumph in Italy opened the door to a hopeful Charles Leclerc in Baku, where, after securing a brilliant pole on Saturday, he had set the stage for an anticipated repeat performance.
After several weekends where Ferrari was close behind McLaren, the inevitable question arose in the post-race press conference: “Charles, do you think you now have a car that can fight for victory on every track?”
Charles Leclerc’s wisdom guided him to a cautious response. “Not yet,” the Ferrari driver explained to the journalists in Azerbaijan. “I’m thinking about Baku, Monza, and probably Singapore. These three races have very specific characteristics for the cars.” – he pointed out.
It’s hard to determine, then, what #16 believes the true potential of his SF-24 is. To better understand Ferrari’s competitiveness, Charles Leclerc isn’t waiting for Singapore but instead looks ahead to Texas.
It will be the Grand Prix in Austin, at the Circuit of the Americas, that will give a clearer picture of the situation: “We probably need to wait for Austin, which will be a more traditional track, to see if we’ve truly made the progress we’ve been expecting.” – the Ferrari driver added.
Charles Leclerc’s wait gives way to frustration as he reflects on the race at the Baku city circuit, describing it as a missed opportunity. “In these last two races (Monza and Baku) plus Singapore, we need to maximize points and seize every opportunity to win the Grands Prix.”
In Azerbaijan, too, the opportunity was there, but McLaren and Oscar Piastri managed to turn the tables and hold off Charles Leclerc’s pursuit. “Today, I felt like we lost that chance,” the Monegasque driver concluded.
Source: f1ingenerale
