Scuderia Ferrari is about four tenths slower per lap than the Red Bull: the gap has decreased compared to 2023, but it is still wide. Charles Leclerc believes, however, that slowly it can be bridged thanks to the clear direction that Ferrari has had since Fred Vasseur took the helm.
There is optimism, but not the typical one of an eve where victory is aimed for. Charles Leclerc has reviewed the Jeddah weekend and the expectations for Melbourne, a clear analysis from the strengths of the SF23 to what is lacking to try to put pressure on Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc explained how he achieved the fastest lap in Jeddah, dampening the enthusiasm of those who saw the Saudi race as a display of Ferrari’s strength in the feared tire management aspect. The Monegasque then praised Oliver Bearman‘s debut and the team’s work to prepare him well, predicting a full-time arrival for him in Formula 1.
How do you judge the gap you have today compared to Red Bull? Do you think it has been halved compared to a year ago? “I find it quite difficult to compare the gaps because each race is different. In 2023 in Jeddah, I started from behind, I believe twelfth (due to a penalty) so it’s difficult to make comparisons, but I can say that the feeling we have is that we have taken a big step forward. In general, in the last six or seven months, we are the team that has improved the most, and this is a positive sign. We continue to do what we are doing, and slowly I believe we will close the gap that separates us from Red Bull.”
You won on this track in 2022. Do you think you have something more on this track to aim for the maximum result? “That of two years ago was a very positive weekend, but here in Melbourne, 2023 was much more difficult, the characteristics of last year’s car did not match very well with this track. Regarding the weekend ahead, I believe we will be quite consistent in terms of competitiveness. A weekend where you don’t optimize the setup can happen, but I think we have a much stronger overall package than last year capable of shielding us from great highs and lows. In 2023, we suffered a lot from the wind presence, we were very sensitive and consequently, we struggled a lot in certain conditions, now it’s not like that anymore, we are more consistent in terms of potential. But now it’s up to us to find more performance because that’s evidently what we lack compared to Red Bull, especially in the race.”
You feel in a better position, but do you think it’s enough to challenge Red Bull? “It’s definitely a better situation than last year, but the gap in the race is still four tenths per lap, which is still significant. In general, I am more optimistic, not so much for the gap, but for the overall situation of the team, for the way we are working and for the very clear ideas about what we need to improve. This gives me the certainty that at some point in the season, we will be there to put them under pressure, perhaps on certain types of tracks. That’s what gives me confidence, but at the moment the gap is still too big to realistically achieve a victory.”
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Regarding the fastest lap you achieved in Jeddah, do you believe that in terms of tire management, you are now at the level of Red Bull? “Level of Red Bull? I don’t think so. Regarding the fastest lap, we had a DRS available in the last lap, it probably helped, but in the end, I think it was a really good lap. In general, the car behaved well in the last 15 laps, unfortunately, I realized there was nothing to do with Perez because he was 12 seconds ahead of me, to catch him I would have had to drive eight tenths faster than him every lap, which is impossible. So I decided to manage my race by aiming to save the tires for the last lap, and it worked. In general, I confirm that we have made progress in terms of tire degradation, but there is still work to be done on this front. What we lack at the moment is not tire degradation but overall pace, when we run with a full tank of fuel, the gap compared to Red Bull increases.”
You spoke positively about the influence that Fred Vasseur’s leadership has had on the team. What do you mean specifically? “What is really important for Fred is to have very clear ideas and to help the team choose the main areas to work on. If you analyze a weekend on track, there are a thousand things that can be optimized, but in the end, it is necessary to understand what the three main ones to focus on are. I think Fred has been very clear on which directions to take by giving priorities, and for now, this approach has borne fruit.”
What do you think of Oliver Bearman’s work in Jeddah? Can you imagine a Formula 1 debut in those circumstances without even having the first two free practice sessions available? “The thing that impressed me most about Ollie’s debut were the first three laps of FP3, he was immediately very fast, and this first of all demonstrates how extraordinary talent he has. I’m sure his arrival in F1 is only a matter of time. Then credit must also be given to the good work done by the team to prepare him for that kind of situation, the simulator is really excellent and very close to reality, of course, the tests he did at Fiorano also helped him, and it was immediately visible. If I think back to when I debuted, I have to say I wasn’t ready like him, and we’re not talking about many years ago! Ferrari did a great job in preparing him, and it was nice to see him immediately find a great pace, as well as bring points to the team. He did an incredible job.”
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