F1 News: Charles Leclerc Worried For Belgium Grand Prix Despite Fix for 'Bouncing'

Alex Harrington | Jul 25, 2024

Jun 9, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (MCO) races during the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

As the Formula 1 circus heads to the legendary Spa-Francorchamps for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, all eyes are on Ferrari and their star driver, Charles Leclerc, as they tackle persistent performance challenges. Despite introducing a series of upgrades aimed at rectifying severe bouncing issues that have plagued their car, doubts remain about their effectiveness, especially on high-speed tracks.

Ferrari's recent struggles began after implementing a new floor design in their Barcelona upgrade package, which, while intended to improve the car's aerodynamics, instead induced bouncing in high-speed corners. This flaw has significantly hampered Ferrari's competitiveness, causing them to fall behind frontrunners like Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes, particularly on faster circuits like the upcoming race at Spa.

The bouncing issue was somewhat numbed on slower tracks such as the Hungaroring, where the problem's impact was less pronounced, allowing Ferrari to manage a more effective performance. However, the fast and undulating nature of Spa, known for its high-speed corners and dramatic elevation changes, presents a far stiffer challenge.

Charles Leclerc voiced his concerns about the Grand Prix, highlighting the circuit's demanding nature.

"On a track like Spa, I think this is going to be a real test for us, because it's probably the track where I would expect our issues to be the most visible.

"There we'll see if we have the confirmation that there's still a lot of work to do before we get our issues fixed, or whether the upgrades of this weekend helped us make a step forward for those tracks."

Despite the upgrades, Leclerc remains cautious about their potential impact.

"On a high-speed track, I expect us to struggle a bit more," he confessed, indicating an expectation of ongoing difficulties in Belgium. "The understanding is there. The thing with the kind of [bouncing] issue we are facing is that it's either on or off. It's very difficult to see the improvement."

Ferrari has decided against reverting to an older specification that exhibited fewer issues, opting instead to continue with advancements made since the Hungarian Grand Prix hoping that once they solve this issue, the car will push through this limitation and be much faster.

The Scuderia plans further adjustments to mitigate bouncing at the Belgium GP. Leclerc remains pragmatic about the ongoing efforts:

"We are doing steps in the fairway direction. Whether it will be enough not to have it, I'm not sure yet. I will expect that in Spa it can be an issue again."

The upcoming Belgian Grand Prix is not just another race for Ferrari and Charles Leclerc; it is a crucial litmus test for their technical strategy and a pivotal moment in their season's narrative. With their eyes set on clawing back the competitive disadvantage induced by the bouncing issue, the iconic Spa circuit could either herald a turnaround or expose further vulnerabilities in Ferrari's 2024 campaign.