Charles Leclerc, the driver from Monaco, has expressed that Ferrari’s success in the Bahrain Grand Prix of Formula 1 will depend on addressing the issue of slow-speed understeer that was prevalent during testing.
After a troubled campaign last season that led to a mid-season concept change, Ferrari has committed to a thorough overhaul with their 2024 car, the SF-24.
During the launch, the Italian team stated that their main goal with the new car was to provide both drivers with a more compliant vehicle than its predecessor.
Leclerc confirmed that Ferrari’s 2024 package was more manageable after pre-season testing, with the wind sensitivity problems that plagued them last year no longer present.
The Monegasque driver believes that Ferrari’s improved foundation will allow them to focus on performance enhancements rather than spending time understanding issues.
“We have a stronger and more solid base compared to last year, where it was much more inconsistent and difficult for us to determine the direction to work,” Leclerc said.
“This gives me confidence for the future that our rate of development can be better than the first part of last year, where our improvement was a bit stagnant as we had to understand the source of inconsistency. So that is a positive aspect.”
However, despite Ferrari’s promising start to the season, Leclerc emphasized that the team still has areas to improve with their 2024 car.
When asked about the areas Ferrari needs to address, Leclerc responded, “There are many things.
“To go into specifics, I believe there is still progress to be made in the low-speed corners.
“But it doesn’t end there. There are various areas that we need to work on.
“And then, of course, it’s a relative sport. After the first qualifying, after the first race, we will assess our main weaknesses compared to our competitors. From that point on, we will prioritize and address the biggest weaknesses.”
Expanding on his concerns regarding Ferrari’s lackluster performance at low speeds, Leclerc believes that all 10 teams experienced difficulties with understeer during testing.
“At the moment, we are experiencing a significant amount of understeer, making it difficult to maneuver the car,” he explained.
“I’ve noticed that this seems to be a common issue across the paddock when I watch onboard footage. It appears that everyone is struggling with it.
“However, the key question is which team will be most affected by this understeer at slow speeds. We still have some work to do in that area.”
Leclerc is confident that the measures Ferrari implemented to finish the previous season on a high note have positioned them well for the upcoming campaign.
When asked about Ferrari’s goals for the 2024 season, Leclerc responded, “Our aim is to be competitive and challenge for numerous victories.
“A step forward would undoubtedly make it a positive season.
“We must build upon the positive momentum we gained in the second half of last year. Although the overall season did not meet our initial expectations, we started to perform better later on. The team, as well as the rest of the paddock, felt the positive shift in our performance and our clear direction.
“We need to approach this season with the same mindset, maintaining a clear vision and making significant advancements with every new addition to the car, just as we did in the latter part of last year.”