Charles Leclerc says that he will attempt to produce a “special” result at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix despite taking on a grid penalty.
Ferrari has fitted Leclerc’s Power Unit with a third Control Electronics ahead of the race weekend in Jeddah, overstepping the penalty-free quota for the year.
As a result, Leclerc will drop 10 places on the grid for Sunday’s grand prix.
It marks a worrisome start to the campaign for Ferrari, with reliability also being a problem for it throughout the 2022 season.
But Leclerc says he is confident he will be able to secure a strong result despite the setback.
“Well it’s the way it is,” he said. “It is the beginning of the season, it’s not the ideal start I wish I had starting in Bahrain, but what can I do about it?
“Now we need to focus on what’s ahead, what we can do to be a better team, to do better. This weekend we obviously start it on the back foot.
“But our target is to try and do something special. I like the challenge of starting a little bit more on the back foot and trying to do something a little more special and come back to the front as quickly as possible.”
Leclerc added that the issue “has been understood so there shouldn’t be any more concerns” in future races.
Ferrari was unable to keep up with Red Bull during the grand prix in Bahrain, despite appearing close throughout qualifying.
Leclerc expects that the high-speed Jeddah track will suit Ferrari’s package better compared to Bahrain.
“It should suit us a little bit better,” he said. “Bahrain also is a very specific track.
“I hope the delta pace that we’ve seen in the race will not be the same here. But yeah, our car characteristics should fit a little bit better this track, so hopefully it will be the case.
“But something special is definitely possible. A good start, a few good laps, and hopefully a good pace that brings us to the top again.”
