Charles Leclerc has expressed his optimism for Ferrari’s upcoming 2024 Formula One car, stating that it will be markedly different from the team’s 2023 challenger.
Leclerc hopes that the knowledge gained from the SF23’s weaknesses will lead to a more successful season next year.
Ferrari has been hampered by inconsistency this season, but the team has seen an upturn in form in the last two races, with Carlos Sainz winning in Singapore to deliver Ferrari its first win since the 2022 Austrian GP.
Leclerc is confident that the team’s recent learning and further tests during the remaining seven races of this season will ensure that Ferrari hits the ground running in 2024.
Leclerc revealed that Ferrari learned a lot during Monza, especially about their weaknesses, which will be good for this year, although it will only be a small step in the right direction.
However, it will be more beneficial for designing next year’s car. The 2024 project is very different from the car they have this year, and with everything they have learned so far, it reaffirms that it’s a good choice for next year.
Leclerc emphasized that the more they learn, the better it is for doing the last few details for next year’s car, and it was really good to understand that before the end of the season.
According to Leclerc, there were things they tested in Monza to ensure that it was really the case, and it was.
Therefore, Zandvoort and Monza were crucial in terms of learning, and that is good for this year, even though he doesn’t think it will turn their season around.
For next year, it’s a step in the right direction. He acknowledged that it would be easy to say that they have understood everything now, but he is not confident that this is everything they had to find to close the gap with Red Bull.
Nonetheless, it’s a step in the right direction.
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Meanwhile, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is confident that Ferrari won’t suffer the same fate as Mercedes, who had a lack of performance at the start of the year due to sticking with their “zero-sidepod” concept for 2023.
Vasseur is optimistic that the learnings Ferrari is making from the SF23 will stand them in good stead for 2024.
He stressed that Ferrari must not get ahead of themselves in thinking they will suddenly be world championship contenders, as there is still a gap to make up to regularly challenge Red Bull for victories.
However, he is pleased with the team’s approach and the small steps they are taking to improve their overall performance.
