Two podiums and a fourth place in the first three races. This is the balance of Charles Leclerc, who currently boasts second position in drivers ranking just 4 points behind Max Verstappen. The double in Melbourne gave a great boost to the team who will now have to find confirmation in Suzuka on an SF-24 which proved to be more "ready" than the previous single-seater. Ferrari hopes to be able to capitalize on the strengths that have emerged in past races, but to do so they will have to prepare for the weekend in the best possible way, using each session to understand how to defend themselves and how to attack Red Bull, which last year finished with an advantage 20 seconds over the competition. Let's see the words of Charles Leclerc on the eve of the Japanese GP race weekend in Suzuka.
Leclerc: “We have made steps forward compared to last season”
Ferrari started the season positioned as the second force, taking the podium in every race weekend and also the first victory of the season with Carlos Sainz. In Suzuka Charles Leclerc knows he needs the perfect weekend to achieve the maximum result. And this means maximizing the result starting from qualifying. Something that Ferrari has never done so far. Neither Leclerc nor Sainz ever finished ahead of Verstappen's Red Bull in qualifying. In the match against the situation changed for the better. The team demonstrated that it has made progress in this area. In Australia, the victory race was missed with Verstappen retiring on the first lap. But the SF-24 had proven competitive right from the start.
“I think that in Maranello they did an excellent job during the winter, because the SF-24 is a clear step forward compared to last year's car – he declared Charles Leclerc during the media sessions on the eve of the Japanese GP - in the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as a team, we achieved the best result available to us and in Australia we made the most of our opponents' knockout, not leaving even a point on the table . Obviously I haven't won yet and that's still my immediate short-term goal, but I think we've maximized our potential."
To Suzuka to do it again?
Repeating at Suzuka will be difficult for a series of reasons, but above all because Red Bull has already shown in the past that it is extremely comfortable on the Japanese track. The problems in Australia were an exception and graining according to Leclerc is not an important variable here. “I believe that on a track like this Red Bull will be very competitive, especially because in Australia the front tires suffered from graining, which we don't expect to happen here. Having said this, for our part, it will be essential to remain focused on ourselves, so as to be ready to make the most of any opportunity that presents itself."
Source statements: FormulaPassion
