After ready 4 Grands Prix, Ferrari has lastly returned to the rostrum, even when it’s solely the bottom step for now. Main the Scuderia to this necessary end result—one which actually boosts the boldness of a staff as soon as once more dealing with the nightmare of not being stable sufficient to battle for the title—was a incredible Charles Leclerc, who delivered a stable efficiency on all fronts.
The choice to increase the primary stint undoubtedly paid off for the Monegasque. With a nine-lap tire benefit, he first overtook George Russell after which constructed a adequate hole to the McLaren of Lando Norris, who completed behind the SF-25 on the finish of the race. However the truth that Leclerc was capable of lead the race for a couple of laps—and thus drive in clear air—highlighted an attention-grabbing level.
In the course of the race, we witnessed Charles Leclerc’s unimaginable tempo on the medium tires, virtually on par with that of Lando Norris, who was operating on the arduous compound. This efficiency even shocked Charles Leclerc himself, fueling additional doubts a couple of automobile that already reveals clear points and urgently wants upgrades to reignite the title hopes of its two drivers.
Saudi Arabian GP – Ferrari, Charles Leclerc: “Qualifying is our Achilles’ heel”
Within the post-race interviews for podium finishers, Charles Leclerc emphasised how a lot the staff must work on the automobile’s stability, particularly with qualifying in thoughts, as he nonetheless hasn’t managed to place collectively an excellent qualifying lap to this point. At Jeddah, it was the primary sector the place the hole shaped between Ferrari and pole-sitter Max Verstappen. The instances recorded in sectors 2 and three, alternatively, have been in keeping with the Dutchman’s.
“A optimistic weekend. I really feel I completely maximized every part we might do that weekend. There was nothing extra within the automobile. I believe we have to concentrate on qualifying as a result of it’s been a very long time since I’ve been pleased with the automobile’s stability,” confessed Ferrari’s quantity 16.
“I really feel comfy with the automobile, sufficient to know I can often get probably the most out of it, however sadly the automobile’s potential isn’t ok to goal for greater qualifying positions. Within the race, nevertheless, the automobile’s stability paid off. We have been shocked by the tempo we had in clear air throughout the first stint. The whole lot went proper. Good technique. Good pit stops. There was nothing extra we might do,” Leclerc continued.
The SF-25 fuels Charles Leclerc’s doubts: “Yesterday we misplaced time within the first sector, right this moment it was our greatest”
The 1997-born driver went on to speak about his emotions throughout the race, admitting that the actual fact the primary sector was favorable within the race—in contrast to in qualifying—is because of a transparent mistake on Ferrari’s half, one which must be resolved rapidly.
Beginning as far up the grid as potential performs an important function as a result of it offers you the prospect to drive in clear air. Greater than ever this yr—as Leclerc himself admitted—operating with none automobile in entrance is important.
“This time we misplaced 4 tenths within the first three corners. For the remainder of the lap we have been quick. Right now within the race, although, the primary sector was in all probability the most effective we’ve had. We have to analyze the state of affairs. We’re clearly getting one thing improper and we have to discover a resolution. We will’t afford to lose too many races earlier than fixing it, as a result of we’re already 50 factors behind within the Drivers’ Championship,” Charles Leclerc concluded on the finish of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
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