Charles Leclerc acknowledges that he needed to improve in order to have a chance of defeating his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz at the Australian Grand Prix. Ferrari took advantage of Max Verstappen’s brake issues, resulting in his retirement, to achieve a 1-2 finish for the first time since the 2022 season opener in Bahrain. Despite leading in practice and topping the second and third sessions, Leclerc struggled with his car’s balance and qualified in fifth place. This put him behind Lando Norris and allowed Sainz to establish a significant lead after a pit stop on Lap 9. Leclerc admits that Sainz deserved the victory as he maximized the SF-24’s performance over one lap. When asked if he could have done more to beat Sainz, Leclerc replied that he simply needed to be better. He acknowledged that his performance in qualifying was not up to par and that he experienced graining on the front left tire during the second stint. Although Leclerc’s final stint was strong, it was not enough to secure the win. Ferrari has chosen to replace Sainz with Lewis Hamilton for the next season, but Leclerc commended his teammate’s performance, stating that Sainz was better throughout the weekend. Leclerc expressed excitement about competing against a fast teammate and congratulated Sainz on his success.
Leclerc believes that Ferrari’s 14th victory in Australia, which extends their record, is a clear indication of the significant progress the Italian brand has made recently. However, the Monegasque, who has not won a race since July 2022, acknowledges that Red Bull remains the standard that Ferrari must strive to match under fair circumstances. Leclerc emphasizes the importance of their recent success, stating that it has been a long time since they had the genuine pace to control Red Bull. He mentions that they were aware of their potential for pole position and a race win since FP1, thanks to their impressive tire degradation and pace. Leclerc considers this a positive sign. However, he points out that Red Bull had the advantage in two out of the first three races, indicating that there is still a lot of work to be done. Leclerc emphasizes the importance of seizing every opportunity to win a race as a team, as they did this weekend with Carlos securing second place and the fastest lap. He highlights the fact that they have not gained any additional points and have maximized their results in every race so far. Leclerc concludes by stating that their goal is to consistently have a car that is better than the Red Bull, especially in race conditions.