Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finds himself grappling with uncertainty as the team confronts persistent challenges.
As Ferrari’s aspirations for a competitive showing in the 2023 season waver, Leclerc’s hopes of a title push have been dampened by the car’s erratic performance, marked by a lack of race pace and balance issues.
While the SF-23 demonstrates its speed during qualifying laps, it falters during the races.
During the recent Dutch Grand Prix held at the Zandvoort circuit, Leclerc provided insights into his struggle with the car’s behaviour.
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He encountered a perplexing combination of understeer and oversteer, particularly evident through Turns 1, 9, and 10 of the coastal track.
The inconsistency in the car’s performance poses a formidable challenge, prompting Leclerc and the team to prioritize its resolution.
Leclerc candidly acknowledged the difficulties they face and emphasised the significance of achieving a cohesive and dependable performance from the car.
“We know what we need to be working on, and this is the consistency of the car,” Leclerc stated, addressing the media.
While acknowledging the team’s progress since the beginning of the season, he candidly admitted that they still have a considerable gap to bridge.
The Dutch Grand Prix served as a stark reminder of the hurdles Ferrari must overcome. Leclerc shared, “[At Zandvoort] it is more than we would have expected.”
He highlighted the persisting weakness in the car’s consistency as a pivotal concern.
Despite incremental progress, the car’s unpredictability continues to affect its overall performance.
Leclerc painted a vivid picture of the challenges he faces as a driver, where each session brings a level of unpredictability that hampers his ability to extract the maximum performance.
“It is very difficult every time you get into the car, not knowing what you are going to get. It is not a situation that I like,” Leclerc expressed candidly.
The situation presents a considerable hurdle for a driver who thrives on stability and confidence in their machine.
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With 9 races remaining in the season, Leclerc finds himself in P6 of the Drivers’ Standings, a disappointing fall from his P2 finish last year.
Even more painful for Leclerc, he is being beaten by his teammate Carlos Sainz, who sits three points above him in P5 of the title race.
Ferrari has suffered an equally challenging season as a team, down in P4 of the Constructors’ Standings, 14 points behind Aston Martin in P3 and over 239 points behind title-leaders Red Bull.