Charles Leclerc says the improve that Ferrari delivered to Bahrain ought to present a extra noticeable step ahead at this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, because it appears to shut the hole to McLaren.
Ferrari introduced a brand new ground to the final race in Bahrain so as to get worth out of it at two of the three races within the present tripleheader. Whereas Leclerc admitted it was unlikely to have a serious influence on final weekend’s observe format, he believes the high-speed avenue circuit of Jeddah ought to enable the group to grasp if it has made the deliberate progress with the most recent growth.
“For the format of the observe, I believe we ought to be doing a little bit of a step ahead — a bit extra of a step ahead than we did in Bahrain, which is optimistic,” Leclerc stated. “We clearly nonetheless have to verify that, however I believe the numbers that we have been anticipating from this improve in Bahrain have been those that we noticed, and contemplating that’s the case, I believe we’ll profit a bit bit extra from a observe like this.
“General grip has been a giant enchancment. And in particular corners — nook phases, particularly, which we must always achieve from a bit extra on a observe like this.”
Leclerc believes Ferrari is at the moment on a par with Mercedes and considers Pink Bull more durable to research, however he sees the hole to McLaren as standing between 0.2-0.3s. Though Ferrari is unlikely to shut that with one improve, he believes race victories can quickly be on the playing cards after feeling a greater end result bought away in Bahrain.
“I actually assume that the rostrum was attainable in Bahrain with out the security automotive, however that’s how racing goes generally,” he stated. “I believe we’re doing steps in the best course, whether or not the rostrum goes to be this weekend or in a while, I don’t know, however I believe we’ve bought our probabilities.
“We’ve been taking barely totally different instructions in the previous couple of races, which I significantly like, and if we maintain discovering positive factors by getting in that course, I hope we will rating our first podium, however my hope is a little more than that. I imply, a podium isn’t one thing that I significantly take pleasure in concentrating on — a win can be superb.
“I’m at all times totally motivated to extract the utmost out of my automotive, irrespective of the place that brings me. In fact you might be at all times upset if you do all the pieces excellent and the most effective end result achievable is P4, however you then get again into the automotive the following race and — not less than for me — I nonetheless have the total motivation to try to do one thing particular and to perhaps win a race with a automotive that’s much less good than the individuals round me.
“In order that’s the place I discover my motivation — it’s to attempt to outperform at any time when I can. So motivation received’t be an issue.”
