Dakar Rally News: Ferrari’s Leclerc Optimistic About Spanish GP Upgrades, But Expects Red Bull Resurgence
In a recent interview, Ferrari’s Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc has revealed that the team’s upgrades for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix may not be enough to resolve their low-speed weakness. However, the Monegasque driver remains optimistic about the potential of the updates to help bridge the gap to the dominant Red Bull squad.
Leclerc explained that despite Ferrari’s renewed competitiveness this season, with two victories and nine podiums in the first nine races, the team has been struggling with a deficit to its rivals in slow-speed corners. While the upgrades scheduled for the Spanish event were not specifically targeted at addressing this issue, Leclerc believes they will contribute to an overall performance improvement.
“We’ll try to tackle it, however, it was too short term to tackle it with this one,” Leclerc said. “I think this one is just to try and improve the package overall, as every team try to add a little bit of downforce, try to take off a little bit of drag, and then you’ve got a better car.”
The driver acknowledged that Ferrari’s main weakness lies in the inherent design of the car, which struggles with balance in low-speed, long-corner situations. He expressed that even if the team optimizes the low-speed performance, they may still not match the level of competitors like McLaren or Red Bull.
Interestingly, Leclerc believes that the Spanish Grand Prix will see a resurgence of Red Bull’s dominance, as the circuit layout is expected to suit the characteristics of the RB19 better than the recent street circuits. However, the Ferrari driver remains hopeful that the new parts will help the team to be competitive and provide encouraging signs for the remainder of the season.
“It’s going to be an interesting weekend, and if we are in the fight here, it’s a good sign for the rest of the year,” Leclerc concluded.
As the Formula 1 season progresses, the battle between Ferrari and Red Bull for supremacy on the racetrack promises to be an exciting one, with the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix serving as a critical battleground.
🔗 Source