Charles Leclerc is getting ready himself for a tricky finish to the Formulation 1 season as he feels the Ferrari drivers are “passengers” within the present automobile.
Ferrari narrowly missed out on successful final yr’s constructors’ championship on the last spherical of the season, however has been unable to construct on that kind. At present sitting third within the standings, Ferrari is the one workforce out of the highest 4 that’s but to win a grand prix this yr, and Leclerc says his sixth place within the Singapore Grand Prix is prone to be the kind of outcome that endures throughout the ultimate six rounds.
“Sadly, we do not have the race automobile to battle with the blokes in entrance,” Leclerc mentioned. “McLaren at all times had the identical hole on us in comparison with the start of the yr. Crimson Bull did a step from Monza and the identical stage of McLaren. Mercedes now’s on the identical stage of McLaren and Crimson Bull, after which there’s us.
“It’s not simple, clearly, since you wish to battle for higher positions. However for the time being, it simply seems like we’re sort of passengers to the automobile and we can’t extract way more.
“I do not assume there can be something particular. The image we have seen goes to be what the remainder of the season appears like for us.”
With Ferrari solely eight factors away from fourth-placed Crimson Bull within the standings, Leclerc admits the drop in competitiveness in comparison with final yr has been powerful to deal with, however insists he makes use of that as a driving drive to try to enhance issues in future.
“I would not describe it as probably the most tough. I believe each time you do not battle for wins, it is tough. However clearly coming from a yr like final yr, the place you might be preventing for the world constructors’ championship, after which… it’s important to decrease your expectations from the start, and you do not even see a development all year long. It isn’t simple.
“It takes a number of vitality, however that does not demotivate me. It motivates me, if something, way more to try to flip the scenario round. Nevertheless it’s very powerful, particularly after a race like [Singapore], the place you aren’t even preventing for a podium, it’s important to handle plenty of points. It is simply not a pleasant feeling.”
