F1 News: Charles Leclerc Reveals Changes He's Made For Record-Breaking 2024 Season
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc emphasized the significance of the preparation between Grand Prix weekends, which is vital for his readiness in the midst of a demanding and record-breaking 24-race 2024 Formula 1 season. He emphasized the importance of small details, such as efficient time management and minimizing travel to maintain his peak performance.
Key Takeaways:
- Charles Leclerc underscores the importance of meticulous preparation between races for the gruelling 24-race 2024 Formula 1 season, focusing on effective time management and reducing travel.
- After teammate Carlos Sainz's podium in Bahrain, Leclerc secured a podium at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, hinting at a strong start for Ferrari's challenge against Red Bull.
- In an exclusive interview with Sports Illustrated's Alex Harrington, Leclerc discusses the adjustments required for the longer season, emphasizing the need to optimize free time between races for consistent performance.
One week after his teammate Carlos Sainz secured third place in Bahrain, Leclerc marked his debut 2024 podium at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Hinting at a positive start for Ferrari this year, the team closest to Red Bull's RB20 on track, the Monegasque driver is keen on catching up with the blue cars at the front.
While a Formula 1 driver has to follow a strict schedule and diet throughout the Formula 1 season to remain at their physical best, Lerclerc emphasized that with the demanding 24-race season, he has had to go a step further to "be 100 percent from the first race to the last race".
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Speaking exclusively to Sports Illustrated's Alex Harrington in an interview, when asked how his preparations have changed considering the longer season, the Ferrari driver revealed:
"I don't think my preparation differs that much, actually. I think it's always the same preparation.
"I always try to be as ready as I can be, to be the best athlete possible outside the car as well as inside the car. And this remains the same preparation.
"I think where it changes slightly - it's the time management, what I do with my free time in between the races. Obviously, with 24 races, you need to be 100 percent from the first race to the last race."
Highlighting the specific changes, he added:
"And so what you do in between races is even more so important. So logistics, by example, we might want to stay in between two races instead of coming back home and travelling all the time.
"These kinds of things are super, super important in order to optimise the time that we have left to always deliver at our best."