Leclerc has already been able to get a taste of the 2022 Ferrari

Currently engaged in an intense fight for 3rd place in the Manufacturers' championship with its historic rival McLaren, Team Ferrari, however, does not lose sight of the priority objective of its 2021 campaign, namely to prepare as best as possible for the regulatory upheaval expected next year. 

Between the introduction of 18-inch tires and the beginnings of F1 with simplified aerodynamics and which will generate more downforce via ground effect, the changes are significant. And have occupied all design offices almost exclusively for several weeks now. 

Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix (July 2-4), Charles Leclerc confirmed that he was able to have a first glimpse of the future single-seaters after a session in the in-house simulator. 

« It was only the very beginning of the program, weighed the Monegasque. But the feeling is very different. It remains to be seen whether we have opted for the right development options or not. Nobody knows where we stand compared to the competition ». 

If Leclerc recognizes that it was complicated to guide the team at a time when the 2022 project is based only on “ numbers and simulations » for the moment, the Monegasque underlines the importance of having quality tools in Maranello (Italy). 

« The technical feedback from the driver is very important, we can really make a contribution, said Leclerc. We are fortunate to be able to rely on an excellent simulator at Ferrari, which allows us to explore different development avenues. We also take into account the car current to prevent the weaknesses identified this year from being reproduced ». 

While waiting to project too far into the future, the Monegasque will try to confirm this weekend the start of recovery made by the Scuderia last week in race pace at Red Bull Ring, after a very complicated round in this area near Castellet (Var) 15 days ago.