Charles Leclerc gives verdict on Ferrari fix to 1 ‘main weakness’ of 2023 F1 car

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Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari are in a ‘much better’ place with their car for the 2024 Formula 1 season after pushing to resolve one of its predecessor’s ‘main weaknesses’.

The Scuderia struggled for large parts of last season in some conditions as the VF-23 would not give Leclerc and Carlos Sainz a predictable platform. Ferrari could not get on top of their car’s sensitivity issues in high winds, which made their 2023 car ‘extremely difficult’ to drive.

In an attempt to fix the problem, Ferrari worked extensively while developing the VF-24 that Leclerc and Sainz will debut at this Saturday’s Bahrain GP to improve its wind sensitivity. It is also the final Prancing Horse that Sainz will get after Ferrari signed Lewis Hamilton for 2025.

Charles Leclerc thinks Ferrari’s 2024 car is ‘a lot better’ than the VF-23

Leclerc now admits that the balance of the VF-23 could shift between one corner to the next last term. But pre-season testing in Bahrain last week confirmed to Ferrari that their labours to resolve the problem have paid off. Leclerc feels the VF-24 is a considerable improvement.

“It’s a lot better on our side,” Leclerc said, via quotes by Motorsport-Total. “I think one of the main weaknesses of last year’s car was wind sensitivity. Whenever the wind changed even a little bit, our car was extremely difficult to drive.

“There were huge differences in the balance from one corner to the other. This year, we are much better positioned in that respect. So, it’s definitely a step forward in that respect – it was intentional. We worked a lot on it and we had confirmation on the first day of testing.”

Carlos Sainz set the overall fastest pre-season time with the VF-24

Leclerc got the first taste of the VF-24 at the home of the Bahrain GP and completed 64 laps in Ferrari’s new machine. Sainz would add a further 69 laps to its odometer on day one with the third-fastest time. Day two then saw Sainz set the overall fastest lap time of the full test.

The Spaniard set a 1:29.921 during his 84 laps on day two, 1.829 seconds faster than Leclerc lapped the Sakhir circuit across his 54 tours. But a drain pipe also came loose at Turn 11 and damaged the VF-24’s floor, interrupting the Monegasque’s run as he stopped for a new floor.

Leclerc would keep Ferrari atop the timesheets after day three, as well, as he and Sainz grew in confidence. The VF-24’s improved handling compared to the VF-23 allowed Leclerc to run 74 laps and set a 1:30.322. Sainz finished Formula 1’s only winter test with an extra 71 laps.

Ferrari will now hope Sainz and Leclerc can repeat their times in testing, which seldom paint a true picture, during qualifying for the Bahrain GP on Friday afternoon. The Scuderia locked out the second row of the grid in 2023. But Sainz would also finish fourth as Leclerc retired.