Leclerc enjoys F1’s unpredictability, craves for Ferrari dominance
Charles Leclerc recognizes the positive impact on Formula 1 of the sport’s current competitiveness and uncertainty, but also emphasized Ferrari’s “big determination” to regain its winning form in the second half of the 2024 season.
The Scuderia’s performance has fluctuated year-to-date, evolving from being Red Bull’s closest challenger on the back of the team’s wins in Australia and Monaco to becoming the fourth best team on the grid by F1’s summer break.
Overall this summer, the Italian outfit has simply lacked pace relative to its rivals, in both qualifying and race trim, a shortfall it owes in large part to a development programme that has not fulfilled its expectations.
Consequently, Ferrari has slipped down the order while McLaren and Mercedes have picked up the slack to successfully defy and fight Red Bull.
Nevertheless, the spreads remain tight at the head of the field, elevating race day to a thrilling showdown where fortunes can change in a split second.
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Leclerc loves the excitement generated by the unpredictability, although he selfishly harbors a secret desire.
"It's nice for F1 on one side," he told the media at Spa, last time out.
"The biggest part of me wishes there was total domination by Ferrari and it will be a very boring season in that sense. But it's not, and we've still got a lot of work to do.
"Obviously with the last few races, we are not in the momentum of fighting for wins at the moment. So we've just got to focus on ourselves.
"But it's true that it's good and interesting for F1 to have different winners, to have different teams developing their cars in a really good way. This makes it very interesting."
Ferrari currently sits third in F1’s Constructors’ standings, 63 points behind leader Red Bull, but still 89 points ahead of fourth-placed team Mercedes.
Leclerc’s podium last time out in Belgium marked a rare highlight in recent races. But the Monegasque says Ferrari and its troops are determined to reverse the trend in the back half of the season.
"We went through tough moments with the team, we went through better moments with the team," the 26-year-old explained.
"At the moment, obviously looking at the last four or five races, we are in a moment where we have struggled more.
"Apart from Hungary which I consider quite a good one where we maximised our potential. Then of course, we know that we have to improve our potential because for now it's just not good enough.
"But we are on it, and that doesn't demotivate us. If anything, it motivates us even more to come back to a good level of performance and to see again the winning trophy.
“There's a big motivation in the team and I hope that the struggling moments will be as short as possible."
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