Charles Leclerc is expecting Ferrari to take another step forward with its floor upgrades at this weekend’s Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Last time out, Ferrari introduced a new floor package to the SF-25 at the Bahrain International Circuit, whereby Leclerc qualified third and finished fourth in the GP.
“I’m pretty sure that without the floor I wouldn’t be P3,” Leclerc told select media, including Motorsport Week, after qualifying in Sakhir, adding, “it’s probably not the best track to extract the maximum out of this new upgrade, but in the next few weekends we shall see more of it.”
So rolling into Saudi Arabia, Leclerc has pinpointed the Jeddah Corniche Circuit as a venue where the Ferrari upgrades can improve the Monegasque’s situation further.
“Considering the characteristics of this track, we should make a small step forward compared to what we did in Bahrain,” Leclerc told the Italian arm of Motorsport.com.
“The numbers we hoped to see on the Sakhir circuit from this update are what we then saw. Here, we expect something more.”
Leclerc has established a pecking order in his mind, one which sees current Constructors’ standings leaders McLaren the clear favourite, and Ferrari in the mix for best of the rest.
“We are three tenths away from McLaren, our performance is similar to that of Mercedes while Red Bull has been a bit more inconsistent so far, and this makes it more difficult to have a clear picture of their potential,” Leclerc explained.
Leclerc dissatisfied despite Ferrari ‘progress’
After Ferrari finished a whisper away from a Constructors’ title in 2024 and Leclerc put in a fine performance to finish third in the Drivers’ standings, the Monegasque would no doubt have preferred a stronger start to the season.
As Ferrari has fought to find its feet with its new creation, and hampered Leclerc’s charge with a disqualification in China, the 27-year-old finds himself 45 points behind current Championship leader Lando Norris.
As it stands, Leclerc feels Ferrari is on a positive trajectory, but not yet at the level he demands.
“We are making progress in the right direction,” he said.
“I can’t say if we can get on the podium this weekend, but I am confident in our chances.
“We have taken slightly different directions in the last few races, which I particularly like, and if we continue to find progress in that specific area, I hope we can get our first podium.
“But I am more hopeful. The podium is not a goal I particularly like to aspire to. I am aiming to win again.”
READ MORE – Charles Leclerc: Ferrari route back to the front ‘longer than I would want’
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