Charles Leclerc is making ready himself for a tricky finish to the Method 1 season as he feels the Ferrari drivers are “passengers” within the present automotive.
Ferrari narrowly missed out on profitable final yr’s constructors’ championship on the closing spherical of the season, however has been unable to construct on that type. At the moment sitting third within the standings, Ferrari is the one group out of the highest 4 that’s but to win a grand prix this yr, and Leclerc says his sixth place within the Singapore Grand Prix is more likely to be the kind of outcome that endures throughout the ultimate six rounds.
“Sadly, we do not have the race automotive to combat with the fellows in entrance,” Leclerc mentioned. “McLaren at all times had the identical hole on us in comparison with the start of the yr. Crimson Bull did a step from Monza and the identical degree of McLaren. Mercedes now could be on the identical degree of McLaren and Crimson Bull, after which there’s us.
“It’s not simple, clearly, since you wish to combat for higher positions. However in the mean time, it simply looks like we’re sort of passengers to the automotive and we can’t extract rather more.
“I do not suppose there will likely be something particular. The image we have seen goes to be what the remainder of the season seems like for us.”
With Ferrari solely eight factors away from fourth-placed Crimson Bull within the standings, Leclerc admits the drop in competitiveness in comparison with final yr has been powerful to deal with, however insists he makes use of that as a driving power to try to enhance issues in future.
“I would not describe it as essentially the most tough. I believe each time you do not combat for wins, it is tough. However clearly coming from a yr like final yr, the place you’re combating for the world constructors’ championship, after which… you need to decrease your expectations from the start, and you do not even see a development all year long. It isn’t simple.
“It takes a whole lot of power, however that does not demotivate me. It motivates me, if something, rather more to try to flip the scenario round. However it’s very powerful, particularly after a race like [Singapore], the place you aren’t even combating for a podium, you need to handle numerous points. It is simply not a pleasant feeling.”
