Charles Leclerc is optimistic about Ferrari’s chances going into this weekend, hopeful that the step forward taken in Canada can be sustained at the Spielberg circuit in Canada – where the Monegasque claimed victory last season.
Despite a disappointing qualifying, the Canadian GP proved extremely positive for Ferrari as the SF-23 showed a surprisingly strong level of consistency in race trim.
Tyre degradation, which has been an Achilles for the Scuderia in 2023, was well under control for the Italian squad in Canada, allowing both drivers to complete the race with just one stop.
Speaking to the media in Austria, Charles Leclerc was pleased with Ferrari’s execution and learning in Canada:
“It was a positive step in the right direction, especially in terms of consistency and feeling. And normally, when these two things are together, the performance is better.
“But here, it’s a very different track, and it will be important to confirm the positive feeling from Canada.”
Charles Leclerc a con i fan a Fiorano
Focusing on this weekend’s action, the 25-year-old sees no reason why Ferrari cannot build upon its recent improvements.
“To be honest, I don’t see any reason why [Canada] will fit our car better than a track like here.
“Again, the first part of the season was about trying to understand this car and why it was so inconsistent with the car we got from track to track.
“So it’s important that we confirm the step forward we think we have made with the new parts in Spain.”
The updates introduced in Spain are not the only developments Ferrari has brought, with the Maranello squad taking advantage of a filming day in Fiorano to debut a series of new parts.
Technical Director Enrico Cardile pushed for this new package to be added to the SF-23 as quickly as possible, with teams across the field pushing to progress.
Nuovo endplate ala anteriore Ferrari SF-23
With four rounds left before the summer break, July represents a golden chance for the field to optimise the 2023 cars before teams divert more of their resources to 2024.
Still, Leclerc does not expect to threaten Red Bull this weekend:
“Last year, we were in a very different situation. We arrived here with a very competitive car and knew we could bring the fight to Red Bull.
“Unfortunately, this year, we know that Red Bull is still quite far ahead in terms of race pace.
“So it’s different targets, but we also have a few upgrades on the car, which will obviously help us move in the right direction.
“The consistency that I got from the car from Canada helped me to push a bit more and be a bit more at ease in the car.
“So it was definitely a step forward, but again – consistency is still on our mind, and we need to confirm it here.
Author: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
