Having finished last season in P2 in the drivers’ championship, Leclerc hoped that, with a new team principal, Ferrari would be ready to make the right decisions on the pit wall after a year of poor strategy calls hampered his title hopes.
Unfortunately for the Monegasque, his battle with Verstappen appears lost already, as he’s only accumulated 6 points in three races, compared to the 68 he earned in the opening two Grand Prize last year.
Addressing a tough three races, Leclerc has opened up about changing his goal for the year from winning a race to just finishing one showing how dejected he is after ending the races in Bahrain and Australia early.
Bahrain’s retirement was caused by what Ferrari called an unexpected engine problem, while Australia’s exit came after Lance Stroll spun the Monegasque into the gravel trap.
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“I think instead of thinking long term targets, I think just finishing a race without any penalties or issues or whatsoever is a priority,” Leclerc told reporters.
“Then take the momentum and see what’s possible,” he added.
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Heading to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Leclerc is sat in 10th place in the Drivers’ standings due to two DNFs in three races, significantly below his teammate Carlos Sainz who is in fifth.
Ferrari has also experienced a substantial drop in the Constructors’ race compared to last year, currently in fourth behind Mercedes and Aston Martin, both of which are experiencing a comeback as they adjust to new regulations.
Across 3 races, 3 Ferrari engines have been introduced across Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Haas, raising reliability concerns with the design, which could prevent all three teams competing against their rivals this season.