Charles Leclerc has identified a key attribute in his Ferrari package that could see the team compete for victory in this weekend’s Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.
The Scuderia suffered a dismal race last time out in Baku, with Leclerc finishing ninth, one place behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Its SF-25 car has been a problematic beast all season, and the fluctuating temperatures in the Azerbaijani capital did little to help these matters.
Whilst track layout is crucial to whether the car is able to compete to the best of its capabilities, hotter weather appears to be something that contributes positively.
And with temperatures of around 28 degrees expected for raceday, and even hotter weather in the days before, Ferrari could stand to expect something from the weekend.
The thought had already occurred to Leclerc, who believes that it should, at the very least, see the team leapfrog Mercedes, its W16 often performing better when it is cooler, Baku being a case in point.
“[There will be] warmer conditions, this for sure,” Leclerc said.
“I think our car is struggling quite a bit whenever it’s cold, and we have seen that the Mercedes is performing very, very strongly whenever it’s cold.
“[In Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying], it was one of the only cars that could actually make the Medium [tyre] work in Q3, together with Williams, actually.
“Both cars are very strong in cold conditions; we are stronger in hot conditions. I hope Singapore will give us that.”
Leclerc is yet to win in Singapore, but if the SF-25 is able to show its potential on the challenging Marina Bay circuit, the Monegasque, with his usual one-lap nous, could stand to provide a challenge to McLaren and Red Bull.
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