Carlos Sainz, who will be leaving the Italian team at the end of the season to make way for seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, is currently just four points behind Leclerc in the standings. Despite missing the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendicitis, Sainz managed to secure podiums in all three races he competed in, and even emerged victorious in Australia after his return from surgery.
When asked about Sainz’s adaptation to the car compared to his own, Leclerc responded: “I believe it’s simply a matter of him performing better.” Recognizing the difficulties he faced in the season opener in Bahrain, Leclerc acknowledged Sainz’s superior performance in the following two races. He admitted: “Now it’s my responsibility to improve, especially in terms of qualifying pace, which has traditionally been one of my strengths. I’ve been struggling to put together a solid lap.”
Leclerc expressed confidence in his ability to quickly improve his qualifying performance, stating: “I’m not worried, but I need to show my progress on track, starting with tomorrow’s qualifying session.” Currently, Ferrari sits in second place in the 2024 Formula 1 Constructors’ standings, trailing Red Bull by 21 points. Red Bull’s three-time world champion Max Verstappen has won three of the four races and has always started from pole position.
In the Bahrain Grand Prix, Sainz secured a third place, while Leclerc finished in fourth. The same positions were replicated in Japan, where Sainz once again outperformed his teammate in qualifying. In Australia, Ferrari achieved a one-two finish. Leclerc believes that China, which returns to the calendar after a two-year absence, will be a more favorable track for Ferrari compared to the previous race in Japan, although he still expects Red Bull to have an advantage. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin)
