The performance of Ferrari by Charles Leclerc in the Japan race it is probably above expectations given the conditions. After the exploit in Singapore, there were those who thought the red one was a goner in Suzuka. Leclerc puts a patch on the defeatists and takes fourth position. It would be difficult to do better given the superiority of the McLarens and the usual dominance of Max Verstappen. What is certain is that the SF-23 is no longer in the oblivion seen before last weekend.
A weekend in pursuit
The redhead knew that it wouldn't be a weekend up to the standard of the Singaporean one. The track characteristics of Japan do not fit as well as those of Singapore to the SF-23, and today's race partially confirmed this. Despite everything, the premises that saw a Ferrari battling with the midfield have been disproved. Already from FP1 the red car gave positive responses, even if one increases McLaren fresh with updates the little horse has lost some certainties.
What is certain is that Leclerc is comfortable with the upgrades taken to Suzuka. The Monegasque he found the feeling again who seemed to have lost in the previous stages, leading the team in the Japanese weekend. Although the team opted for a racing configuration, on the 16th he took home a decent fourth place on the grid. A time that has created positive prerogatives for a by now usual chase race for the little horse.
Charles' Sunday: a point to start again from
Departure was normal Leclerc. The number 16 maintains fourth position behind Verstappen and the two McLarens. The Monegasque is soon asked to manage the tyres. The degradation at Suzuka is, as often happens, quite high. The asphalt temperature doesn't help. Charles returns to the pits on lap 18 to fit the medium tyre, and when he gets back on track he regains his position on Alonso, and on Ocon – with a nice overtaking on the latter before the spoon -. At mid-race the gap to the McLarens was around four seconds. The strategic limbo forces Ferrari to think about the podium, but also about a threat that rhymes with Mercedes. A very complex task.
The redhead tries to worry McLaren, and he does it with a great pit stop: 2.2 seconds spent on the "trolleys" by the SF-23 with the number sixteen. At the wall they decide to fit white tyres, triggering the reaction of the rival garage, who calls Piastri on the following lap to whip the same mix. The duel between Piastri and Russell favors the Monegasque, who gains precious cents in the chase for the podium. Once he reached Russell, Leclerc initially struggled to overtake, and then surprised the Englishman on the outside of turns 1 and 2 with a sensational move. Nothing to do in the following laps for the Monegasque, who fails to reach the formidable Piastri on his first career podium. Fourth position for the little prince and a lot of work to do to keep up with the papaya machine.
Leclerc reflects on the race in Japan
To the microphones of Sky, Charles spoke about his overtaking in spite of Russell, and about McLaren's performance"it was important to overtake immediately. Lewis pushed a lot. I expected them to be a team player so I knew I couldn't waste too much time. I managed the tires a lot before so I had something left, but I had to take a risk and in the end it was a nice overtaking.” Charles then spoke about the performance of his rivals in the constructors' championship: “At Silverstone they were very strong, here too. We know that they are tracks that get along well with their car. Let's now see if they are confirmed in Qatar. If they do, it will become worrying, but for now we are not."
