Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is advocating for a comprehensive investigation into the team’s recent pit-stop challenges leading up to the mid-season break.
Ferrari found itself notably lagging behind rival teams Red Bull and Mercedes, with an average pit-stop time that was almost two seconds slower.
The disparity was further highlighted by a significant one-second gap compared to Red Bull’s swift 2.8-second pit stop during the Austrian Grand Prix.
Leclerc, when questioned by the media about Ferrari’s vulnerabilities, expressed his desire to understand the underlying causes for the decline.
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He stated, “We have statistics of all the pit stops around the paddock and before this race [Belgium] we were still one of the best ones.
“In the last few races, we started to struggle a bit more, so now we will look into it.
“It’s been two or three races in a row where we’ve had one or two pit-stops where we’ve struggled.
“It has to become one of our priorities to maximise our points.”
During the Belgian Grand Prix, Ferrari exhibited signs of improvement in pit-stop performance, managing to marginally outpace Red Bull.
Notably, the team executed the fastest in-race pit stop of 2.19 seconds for Leclerc on Lap 13, reflecting a positive step forward.
Throughout the season, Red Bull has consistently held the distinction of executing the quickest pit stops.
A pinnacle moment was achieved at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Red Bull achieved a remarkable 1.98-second pit stop for Sergio Perez.
McLaren secured the second-fastest time during that race, accomplishing a 2.01-second stop for Oscar Piastri.
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Ferrari’s swiftest pit-stop occurrence occurred at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, where Leclerc’s pit stop was timed at 2.10 seconds, securing a place within the top five.
While Leclerc has managed three podium finishes in Azerbaijan, Austria and Hungary, as well as in the sprint race around Baku, the Monegasque will be disappointed with his P5 ranking in the Drivers’ Standings.
While he fought for the title in 2022, finishing in P2, Leclerc is 215 points behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.