2 weeks Ago By Michelle
On the limit for engine parts, Charles Leclerc is hoping Ferrari can avoid a power unit penalty at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Leclerc had been on the cusp of a grid penalty since F1’s return from the summer break having taken his fourth and last power unit of his allocation at the Dutch Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver is on the limit for all engine parts; the internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, energy store and Control Electronics.
He’s also reached the five gearbox units that a driver can use before incurring a grid penalty. The only thing he’s not knocking on the door for is exhausts, having used six of the allocated eight. But with three races still to be run this season, and having already used his latest ICE for seven Grands Prix including two Sprints, the Ferrari driver is facing the very real prospect of taking a fifth power unit and a grid penalty.
He revealed as much to DAZN after the Brazilian Grand Prix where he brought his SF-24 home in fifth place. “We’ll take the small positive from Brazil which is that we scored a few points and seeing how quick the McLarens were, to be ahead of both of them and only lose four points in the Constructors’ Championship has to be considered a pretty good day,” he said. “In Las Vegas I hope we will be very strong and not have to take a penalty there.
” The good news should he have to take a penalty is that last season there were 82 overtakes at the street race, including the last-lap pass that Leclerc pulled on Sergio Perez to finish in second place. 👉 F1 schedule: When is the next F1 race and where is it being held? 👉 The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings after the Brazilian GP With three races remaining, Ferrari are in the hunt for the Constructors’ Championship where they trail McLaren by 36 points. Leclerc is also on track to finish the season on the Drivers’ Championship podium and could even overhaul Lando Norris for second as he’s just 24 points behind the McLaren driver.
The Scuderia have claimed five Grands Prix this season with three of those going the way of Leclerc. He puts that done to overall improvement from Ferrari, spearheaded by the arrival of the “very emotionally flat” Fred Vasseur as team principal. “Well, I think there were a few weaknesses,” Leclerc told the media in Brazil.
“First, when I arrived in the team, I think tyre management on my side was always a weakness back then. And I think now it actually became one of my strengths. “I think as a team, we have improved the way we have we are working together.
And that’s small steps every year, but small steps in the right direction, and that makes a difference. “I think, strategy wise, we are in a much better place today. Ravin [Jain] and his team is doing an exceptional job.
And on that, we have done a big step forward. “And then, of course, there’s the arrival of Fred inside the team that I think has done a lot of good to the team, mostly because, as I’ve said many times, I think the really good thing about Ferrari is that there’s a lot of passion inside the team, and that helps to push people even over the normal work hours, just because they love so much their job and it means so much that they do more. “However, you can pay the price of that sometimes when you have a tough time because they are more affected emotionally to the team, and that makes it difficult.
“However, Fred is a very emotionally flat person, at least professionally speaking, and I think that’s exactly what’s needed in Ferrari for a boss with a very clear vision and not being affected by the outside world, perception and emotions. So, so yeah, these are the steps that we’ve done in the last five, six years and we’ll try and continue. “There’s still a lot of room to to improve in the next few years, but we have a clear vision where we are now and where we want to go in terms of development.
Then in terms of goals, it’s all very clear that we want to win the title, both titles and hopefully we’ll start with one this year.” Read next: Max Verstappen data mission predicted with big Lando Norris response teased.
