Karun Chandhok applauds Charles Leclerc for overcoming key weakness this year. Karun Chandhok thinks Charles Leclerc eliminated ‘weakness’ on the team radio in 2024.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will undoubtedly reflect on the 2024 Formula 1 season with immense pride and satisfaction.

After years of misfortune at his home race in Monaco, the Monegasque driver finally claimed a long-awaited victory on the iconic streets of Monte Carlo. In an emotional and physically demanding race, Charles Leclerc demonstrated exceptional composure, fending off Oscar Piastri’s relentless challenge from the very first lap to take the chequered flag.

Damon Hill, whose father once dominated the principality, expressed his admiration for the Monegasque’s achievement, recognizing the significance of this victory. Charles Leclerc’s winning streak continued at Ferrari’s home race in Monza, where he executed a flawless strategy to overcome the fierce competition from both McLaren drivers. The win not only brought joy to the Tifosi but also helped Ferrari regain momentum in a challenging season.

The 27-year-old added another victory to his name in Austin and secured three additional podium finishes during the season’s final stretch. Despite these impressive performances, Charles Leclerc finished third in the Drivers’ Championship behind Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Though he was briefly considered a title contender after his Monaco triumph, Ferrari’s car was not competitive enough to sustain a championship challenge. Max Verstappen, facing his own struggles with Red Bull’s package, would argue that such limitations were not unique to Charles Leclerc.

Nevertheless, the season was far from a disappointment for Charles Leclerc, who made notable strides in his development as a driver. On the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, Karun Chandhok highlighted one key area of improvement: Charles Leclerc’s communication on the team radio. The Indian former racing driver and broadcaster praised the Ferrari star for eliminating what had previously been a weakness, showcasing greater clarity and decisiveness in his radio exchanges throughout 2024.

While a title fight eluded him, the year marked a significant step forward for the Monegasque, both in his career and in his efforts to lead Ferrari back to the top. When asked about the 27-year-old’s 2024 Formula 1 championship, the Sky Sport pundit replied: “I had Charles Leclerc in second because I thought in terms of consistency, Ferrari weren’t as consistently competitive as McLaren. But Charles, I thought, did an outstanding job this year, it really was a brilliant season. And he made changes as well. One of those weaknesses, Ted, you listed a lot of the radio as much as I did, was indecision on strategy and they’d be dithering, wouldn’t they? Him and Xavi Marcos.” – he pointed out.

“They made the decision to change to Bryan Bozzi. He got Jock Clear in his corner still. They worked well. And I thought, there’s a strong argument to say 2022 was Leclerc’s best season because he finished second. But he made more mistakes. And I actually thought this was his best season in Formula 1.” – he added.

Charles Leclerc’s Complex History with Ferrari Race Engineers

Charles Leclerc’s most successful Formula 1 season to date remains his second-place finish in the 2022 Drivers’ Championship, as Karun Chandhok has noted. However, his inability to challenge Max Verstappen more closely that year was largely attributed to the repeated strategic missteps made by Ferrari, which often undermined his otherwise strong performances.

Leclerc’s working relationship with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, has had its ups and downs over the years. While tensions occasionally flared, particularly during moments of poor strategy execution, their dynamic showed noticeable improvement as the 2024 season progressed. This growing synergy between driver and engineer could prove vital as Ferrari looks to rebuild its competitiveness.

Team principal Frédéric Vasseur faces the challenge of maintaining and nurturing this partnership while simultaneously integrating Leclerc’s new teammate, Lewis Hamilton, into the team. Lewis Hamilton, known for his extraordinary rapport with his long-time race engineer Peter Bonnington, will need to adapt to working without “Bono” by his side, as Bonnington is not making the move to Maranello.

This situation may give Charles Leclerc an initial edge over Lewis Hamilton, as the Monegasque already has the advantage of familiarity with the Ferrari setup and its operational structure. For Leclerc, a stable and effective relationship with his race team could be the key to finally achieving a championship-winning campaign. Meanwhile, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion will need to quickly establish a strong working relationship with his new team to compete at the level he is accustomed to.