The 2023 Formula 1 championship didn’t go exactly as Ferrari had hoped. The unmatched speed of the car was rarely seen, only occasionally in qualifying. However, in 2024, we will witness a completely new car, starting with the chassis. However, at Ferrari, a decision might need to be made to specifically focus on one of the two drivers to guide the development of the new car. This championship has indeed shown that Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are comfortable with different setups that don’t seem to work for both.
Different driving styles, one common goal
It’s no secret that the Spanish and Monegasque drivers have different driving styles. Charles Leclerc prefers a very strong front end, and oversteer is not a big problem for him. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, seems to perform better with a less pointed front end, in favor of a more precise rear.
Throughout the season, we have seen the performances of the two Ferrari drivers alternate based on the updates brought to the car. After the summer break, Carlos Sainz seemed to be much more in tune and comfortable with the car compared to his teammate. This was highlighted by his splendid victory in Singapore.
The updates introduced at Suzuka, however, were more in line with Charles Leclerc’s style, and he returned to outperform Carlos Sainz. After the Abu Dhabi race, Charles stated, “I am positive for next year after this second part of the season. From Japan onwards, I finally had a strong front end, an upgrade that I missed a lot. It helped in qualifying but especially in the race.”
The results from that point speak for themselves. Charles Leclerc managed to secure five consecutive front-row starts in the last 5 races, along with second places in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi. At the same time, after the updates in Suzuka, Carlos Sainz seemed to lose some performance and confidence in the car.
It seems evident that what one of the two drivers likes doesn’t necessarily suit the other. Ferrari might need to make a specific choice for the development of the new car for 2024, which is currently only known as project 676. This would clearly favor one of the two drivers, but creating a car “in between” might not benefit either.
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It would be somewhat similar to what Red Bull does with Max Verstappen, providing him with the best possible means for his driving style, even at the expense of the second driver. Recent rumors, to be taken with caution, suggest that in Maranello, the decision has been made, and the new car will lean more towards Charles Leclerc’s style, as reported by the Italian website f1ingenerale.
Whatever direction is taken, the goal remains one: to close the gap with Red Bull and return to fighting for victory. We will have to wait until next year to see if the new Ferrari car will be competitive, but to truly challenge the Verstappen-Red Bull duo, it might require tailoring it to one of the two drivers.
