Like Red Bull, McLaren or Mercedes F1, Ferrari’s form has been very swinging and fluctuating this year.
The team experienced a real slump after Barcelona, but has recovered well since the return from the summer break, notably with Charles Leclerc’s victory at Monza.
The Monegasque admitted it to The Race: he had moments of doubt about the form of his team. There was in fact no certainty of seeing Ferrari return to the race for podiums on a regular basis…
“It was difficult to get back into shape. »
“There have been ups and downs, but the highs have been very high and the lows have been very low. »
“Yes, sometimes there are seasons that are quite frustrating in a way because you’re doing a really good job, but it seems normal because you’re fifth or sixth because the car is just not good enough . »
“But I feel like I’m improving race after race, season after season. I would be lying if I said that in these moments, you are confident that the rhythm will return. »
“Every time you have a difficult race, you try to analyze it and as soon as you find the cause, you are sure that the rhythm will return to your team. »
“But you always want to see, the next time you’re on the track, that things are going back in the right direction and you’re getting back into the right rhythm. »
Tire heating problems plagued Charles Leclerc’s qualifying at the start of the year, particularly in Australia and Suzuka.
“Actually, I forgot about that!” »
“Sometimes the pace was there and the lap was really, really good, but for one reason or another, just the grip available, the lap time just wasn’t good. It was very frustrating. »
“However, I worked on it a lot and from then on it got better. But it’s true that if there’s a little less sun, if there’s just a cloud passing over the track, that makes a huge difference for the tires. And you have to constantly change and adapt to a very slight change in conditions, which is not easy. »
Overall, the teams’ form was very fluctuating: McLaren F1 had to wait for Miami before taking off, while Red Bull’s performances plummeted!
“Apart from McLaren recently, there are ups and downs. You see Mercedes sometimes do great performances and then struggle. We too, sometimes have very good performances, and sometimes we have more difficulties. We also see Red Bull, which has been very strong for many years, and which is now struggling a little more. »
“This generation of cars is much more difficult to understand and the smallest detail can have a big influence, which makes a big difference. The fact that we are so close together means that you pay a lot more for the slightest mistake compared to previous generations of cars. »
The title next year?
For now, Ferrari has therefore progressed, particularly with the developments made at Monza. The technical team lost Enrico Cardile (left for Aston Martin F1) but was also strengthened with Loïc Serra.
“We see a lot of progress. We just need time to make these changes to the car” confides Charles Leclerc.
And if Ferrari progresses enough at the end of the season, will it be realistic to aim for the title next year, in a period of regulatory stability?
“Yes, it will be realistic…ah, it will make headlines!” »
“It’s obviously a constant process that continues to evolve and the goal is to always improve it. So I would say 2025 will be good, 2026 will be better and 2027 will be even better and we are optimizing everything. There is not a single team that is getting worse from one year to the next. What matters is the progress of others. »
“But from our side, I have no doubt that we will take a step forward next year and another the year after that. »
Leclerc has no advice for Lewis Hamilton
Next year, however, Charles Leclerc will first have to beat his new teammate if he wants to have title hopes. And not just any teammate, since it will be Lewis Hamilton.
Is Charles Leclerc anxious about teaming up with him?
“I will be very curious to see what he has done well throughout his career to have all the success he has had. »
“He has very few weaknesses – in fact, I don’t know Lewis’s weaknesses. He’s a super strong driver, always present, super fast, super consistent. »
“It will be very interesting for me to learn from Lewis and show what I am capable of in the same car as him. These two things motivate me a lot. »
“It’s cool, we have a really good relationship and I’m sure it will always be that way. »
Wouldn’t he have preferred to have a young pilot at his side? To really be Ferrari’s number 1?
“Since I have been in Formula 1, I have been very lucky. »
“Instead of thinking that I would like to have a number 2 driver as a teammate, I always thought it was better to have the best as a teammate. I had very, very fast teammates who pushed me to move forward and with Lewis I will also learn a lot. »
Finally, would Charles Leclerc have any advice to give to Lewis Hamilton before his arrival at Maranello?
“Lewis is still incredibly fast. It’s still Lewis Hamilton. So, I don’t think he needs any advice from me! »
