charles leclerc premiered, by means of a coin draw, the Ferrari SF-23 with its first two laps at the Fiorano circuit. The Monegasque, runner-up in 2022, still hasn’t seen any changes to the asphalt compared to his predecessor, the F1-75: “It’s hard to feel the differences on the track with two laps not pushing too hard. They are ‘demo’ tyres, it is difficult to get the right feeling. We work on the weaknesses of the 2022 car and the simulator there are positive signs but we must wait for the tests in Bahrain to see if the progress is valid”.
He won three races last year, but he found himself with a car that varied a lot between fast and slow corners: “The balance of the car was very open, from slow corner to fast corner. Without going into specific topics. We have worked to try to bring the slow and fast curve closer together. We also bring developments for the race that will have to be tested in Bahrain, because in the simulator it is difficult”. It also hopes that other problems inherent to the equipment have been resolved: “Last year we had reliability issues that cost us a bit. This year I hope we can pass more. In terms of tire management, we have done a good job in winter.”
On the other side of the garage expect the best version of Sainz: “The relationship has always been very good. It can always be better, but I don’t know how. We share many hobbies off the track, we have a good time. We are very competitive, even if it is playing paddle tennis. But it’s a healthy competitive mindset that takes us further.” He also agrees that both Ferrari drivers start with the same status at the start of the season: “I agree with the philosophy, you can’t start the year like this. It is important for Carlos and I to be motivated in the first part of the season. If at any point in the season one of the two is in contention and can win the World Cup, the team will do everything possible to ensure that they are in the best possible condition. But at first, it’s the right thing to do.”
That idea brings her Fred Vasseur, new team boss, for whom Leclerc has good words: “I was impressed with how he introduced himself to the team. Ferrari is very different from what we are used to, it’s huge, and he understood that really quickly. He is very clear about what he wants and is good at getting people into the right mindset and environment so they can give their best version.”
