“I think we’ve got a real shot of going back on the top step of the podium” : Charles Leclerc optimistic after P3 finish in Imola
Charles Leclerc had a pretty decent outing in Imola, as he managed to bag his second consecutive podium finish. The 26-year-old finished P3, when his teammate Carlos Sainz struggled for most of the race, managing a P5 finish.
Charles Leclerc offered words of optimism after securing a podium in front of his home fans in Imola. The Ferrari driver stated that he remains hopeful of getting back to the top of the podium if the team can work on the straight line speed.
He believes that Red Bull and McLaren have been doing something weird on the straights, which has helped them establish their superiority over the rest of the teams. However, Charles Leclerc remains optimistic about the rest of the season, and a shot at winning races in the coming weeks.
“We lost everything in the straights and they are doing something weird with the energy engine wise, McLaren and Red Bull. We’ll look into that. And once we fix that, I think we’ve got a real shot of going back on the top step of the podium,” said Leclerc.
“I think today’s race was also a very good advert for Formula 1” : Fred Vasseur
Ferrari’s team principal Fred Vasseur was encouraged with what he saw at the Imola GP on Sunday. He believes that three teams were separated by just over 7 seconds towards the end of the race which is a really positive sign for the sport and the viewers in general.
“I think today’s race was also a very good advert for Formula 1 as we saw three teams in seven seconds after more than 60 laps, which means the gaps are less than one tenth per lap,” said Vasseur.
In terms of Ferrari’s race pace, Fred Vasseur believes that they are almost on par with the likes of Red Bull and McLaren now. He believes that the team is ready to fight for race wins in the coming weeks, and this week was just a small step forward in the right direction. The next race of the season will take place next weekend in Monaco, which is also a home race for Charles Leclerc.
“We are definitely on the pace now and we can fight for the top spot, even if we still need to make a small step forward,” Vasseur observed.
