P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Charles Leclerc has said he has an “idea” for the reasons behind Ferrari’s pace deficit through the first sector as
Ferrari is currently the closest contender to Red Bull in the early stages of the 2024 season, but they couldn’t keep up with the champions’ one-lap speed. In the recent race in Shanghai, Max Verstappen secured a Red Bull front-row lock-out while Charles Leclerc found himself behind Alonso’s Aston Martin and both McLarens in sixth place. Leclerc identified issues in the first sector and believes the team’s setup was focused more on race strategy. Despite starting in sixth place, Leclerc remains optimistic about their chances of reaching the podium with good race pace and tire management. He acknowledges the need to overtake quickly and hopes to avoid getting stuck in DRS trains. Leclerc is working to improve his performance under low-fuel conditions after struggling in earlier races but feels he is making progress. He admits there is still room for improvement but is confident in the team’s direction and anticipates a better showing in the upcoming races.
