Charles Leclerc played down Ferrari’s chances of winning the Australian Grand Prix, suggesting that Max Verstappen and Red Bull potentially concealed the true speed of their car.
Leclerc, alongside Ferrari, has been unable to match Verstappen and Red Bull in Formula 1’s ground-effect era. However, Ferrari made significant progress over the winter in hopes of challenging the reigning world champions this season. Despite a decent performance at Albert Park, Leclerc expressed caution about his team’s prospects against Verstappen.
During the second practice session on Friday, Leclerc topped the timing sheets. However, he lost twenty minutes of running time due to damage to his car’s floor in the first practice session. Nonetheless, it appears that Ferrari has a decent pace this weekend. Sergio Perez even suggested that Ferrari could pose a challenge to Red Bull.
Leclerc acknowledged the positive feeling within the team after two solid sessions on Friday. However, he warned his team about potential surprises that could ruin their weekend, possibly alluding to the pace of Verstappen and Red Bull in qualifying.
The Ferrari driver stated that his team is in a much better position to compete with Verstappen this season. However, Leclerc believes that the reigning world champions may be concealing their true speed. He mentioned that his team will have to wait and see the true potential of the Red Bull RB-20 this weekend.
Max Verstappen has secured two dominant race victories in the first two rounds of the 2024 season. The three-time world champion has led by a significant margin in both races. However, it is expected to be a closer competition at the Australian Grand Prix, especially after Leclerc showed promising pace in the SF24.
Leclerc believes that the Melbourne race could be Ferrari’s best opportunity to win a race this season. However, he admitted that it is difficult to compare the true pace of the two teams due to traffic during the practice sessions.
Undoubtedly, Charles Leclerc is aiming to win the Australian Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver last tasted victory at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old remains determined to bring glory back to Maranello. Fans are eagerly anticipating how Ferrari will fare against Max Verstappen and Red Bull this weekend.