F1 News: Charles Leclerc Reveals Ferrari Development Setbacks

Lydia Mee | Jul 1, 2024

Nov 17, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco (16) celebrates after securing pole position during qualifying at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc grappled with a number of obstacles during the Austrian Grand Prix. A collision at the race's start marked the beginning of a series of difficulties that impacted his vehicle's performance drastically. The Monegasque driver has opened up on the struggles as well as the setbacks with Ferrari's developments this season.

Leclerc found himself wedged between Oscar Piastri’s McLaren and Sergio Perez's aggressive Red Bull RB20 at the start of the Grand Prix. The tight positioning led to a costly interaction when Perez and Piastri squeezed Leclerc, resulting in substantial damage to his Ferrari’s front wing. This incident necessitated an immediate pit stop for repairs, relegating Leclerc to the back of the pack early in the race. He remarked ruefully on the incident, stating, as quoted by the Italian version of Motorsport:

"Well, first of all we lost a lot with the front wing change at the beginning, then we did a whole stint behind Lando where I couldn't overtake because otherwise I would have had blue flags and would have had to let him go again.

"Both things made my race pace very difficult. When we had to use the pace to come back, we were stuck behind Lando and the rest struggled. Firstly, we are not competitive enough. And then, obviously, our race was massively compromised after the first corner.

"I mean, I tried to hold back, but I think... I think Checo was a little optimistic, it never ends well in the first corner if you try to go three-wide. The double-wide is already difficult enough, so the triple-wide was very difficult. Oscar didn't know, Checo was on the inside and I was a passenger. And then when you brake, Checo brakes even later and so once you're there, you're there. So I tried to manage the situation as best as I could, but it was impossible."

Further complicating matters, Ferrari's recent technical decisions have been a mixed bag. A new aerodynamic package introduced two races prior was designed to increase the downforce on the SF-24. While this goal was achieved, it inadvertently introduced other performance constraints. Leclerc continued:

"The downforce values ​​brought by the new package are as expected and I confirm that, but this has brought other limitations that we need to examine, because since we introduced it we have had some difficulties. Today we set up the car in a completely opposite way, so I think there are many things to learn from the two configurations. I didn't feel comfortable, but we will analyse them and compare them."

"The truth is that in Formula 1 there are few coincidences, especially when it comes to two weekends in a row where you struggle. So we have to examine and analyse the situation. But we are seeing the numbers, so it means we have made a step forward. However, there are other limitations that we have to examine to try to eliminate them."

Looking ahead, Leclerc's outlook for the upcoming British Grand Prix at Silverstone is tinged with caution. He anticipates continued challenges, signaling ongoing concerns about the Ferrari team's current trajectory.

"I feel like Silverstone is going to be another tough weekend for us. If you look at the last three weekends we've struggled, so we haven't found a solution to improve things yet."