Leclerc confirms “extreme” setting choices to control his Ferrari

In Jeddah, there was a moment during the race when Charles Leclerc was the fastest on the grid. Consistent speed, consistent pace over many laps, and optimized tire preservation were the reasons for this resounding success.

While at the same time, Lewis Hamilton still does not seem to have found the way to make the SF-25 a car Leading this year, Charles Leclerc reaffirmed decisions far from being naturally given to upset the predictions. "Little by little, I'm trying to adapt my driving style to this new car, a little more extreme, a little more difficult, he agreed. But there seems to be performance and I think that, anyway, in the last race we already did a great job on that side."

Ambitious, the Monegasque is not stopping at this simple podium obtained in Saudi Arabia. For him, only the return of Ferrari at the top will be synonymous with a box checked. I think we don't have the potential to beat McLaren and even Red Bull in their best days, he confessed on ThursdayWe have to score as many points as possible and, when we have the car to win four or five victories, take those opportunities. That said, my main objective remains victory."

Leclerc's biases, far from being innate for Hamilton

“I won’t go into too much detail, but it makes the car a little bit more delicate, very, very precise, and it’s quite difficult to drive, especially when you’re on the limit in qualifying, added Charles Leclerc about the modifications made to his single-seater. But it's something I love, something I've always loved in my career. It takes a few races to readjust everything around the car."

Asked to comment on the difficulties of his seven-time world champion teammate, the Ferrari driver pointed out that, with little experience and little feeling, Lewis Hamilton would probably not be so quick to take the risky path chosen by his team. In the Monegasque driver's garage, the choice was not made explicit by the driver, but it appears to be radical.

« For my part, this year we've taken some pretty extreme directions in terms of setup, to get a bit more out of the car, so I feel like I'm changing my driving style quite a bit to adapt to the new needs of this car.. " he added.

To make progress, should Lewis Hamilton see this as an invitation to look at the problem from a different perspective? Having struggled to adapt his working methods to the SF-25 since his arrival, the Briton has not yet achieved the desired alchemy, the one that led to the "return of the magic" that his former teammate, George Russell, recently spoke of.

ALSO READ > Lewis Hamilton calls for more power for drivers over FIA decisions