Charles Leclerc, Ferrari driver, issued a warning about the current standings in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship. Leclerc believes that the small gap between Ferrari and Red Bull does not accurately reflect the performance of the two teams. While Red Bull had strong showings in the first two races of the season, they struggled in Australia. Leclerc pointed out that Red Bull faces more difficulties on circuits that require limited front-end performance, allowing Ferrari to take advantage and close the gap in the standings. However, Leclerc expects Red Bull to regain their edge in the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix. He emphasized the importance of maximizing points and expressed optimism about future upgrades that will help Ferrari consistently compete with Red Bull. Overall, Leclerc sees the start of the Ferrari season as positive.
The improved performance of Ferrari this season can be attributed to the success of the engineers in creating an easier-to-drive SF-24 car compared to its predecessor. Despite being pessimistic about their chances against Red Bull, Leclerc believes the team will be in a better position than in the last race in Suzuka in September. Leclerc emphasized that his good performance in Australia was largely due to front tire wear, but they expect less of that in Japan. However, he still expects Red Bull to have an advantage in the race. Nevertheless, if there is an opportunity like in Australia, they need to be ready to take advantage of it. Leclerc is confident that they will be closer to Red Bull this year, especially in high-speed situations, as they have made significant improvements to the car. In contrast to the inconsistencies of last year, the car is now more predictable, which should help them close the gap to Red Bull. In the opening free practice session in Japan, Red Bull set the fastest time, but Carlos Sainz, who finished third, found encouragement in the small difference between their times. Meanwhile, Leclerc finished sixth in FP1, but a late switch to the soft compound in a second wet session allowed him to move up to third place.
