Charles Leclerc says Ferrari’s ‘dream begin’ to the season ‘feels superb’ after workforce’s current struggles | CNN

CNN
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“It feels superb,” a visibly delighted, and maybe considerably relieved, Charles Leclerc says.

Making his System One debut in 2018, the younger Monegasque prodigy has endured a troublesome time since shifting to Ferrari in 2019. Two wins on the very begin of his profession there raised hopes and expectations that the long-lasting workforce in purple was maybe not too far-off from successful a primary drivers’ championship title since Kimi Räikkönen in 2007.

Nonetheless, after a irritating the rest of 2019 and a fair worse 2020 – which noticed Leclerc end a lowly eighth within the drivers’ standings and Ferrari sixth within the constructors’ championship – doubts started to creep in about whether or not Ferrari may present their younger star with a automotive worthy of his skills.

However this season, all that has modified.

Leclerc is now driving a automotive that’s adequate to significantly problem at each race and, though it’s nonetheless early within the season, even perhaps the world championship.

The 24-year-old Leclerc’s abilities, in fact, are additionally adequate – however they had been by no means in query.

Regardless of a disappointing sixth place end at the latest Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Leclerc leads the driving force standings on 86 factors after 4 races, 27 factors away from defending F1 champion Max Verstappen in second.

“The final two years have been very, very troublesome as a result of after I arrived in Ferrari in 2019, we had a automotive that was able to successful races on some events and I did win my first two races in 2019,”Leclerc tells CNN’s Amanda Davies forward of the Miami Grand Prix.

“Then you definately go in 2020 and 2021 the place you end up with a automotive that’s struggling far more and you might be combating for sixth to tenth place everytime you do the right weekend, which might be not as thrilling and [it’s] troublesome to just accept, however as a workforce I believe we’ve accepted it and we’ve labored in one of the best ways doable to get again on prime this yr.

“So we had loads of hope for this yr and we labored to get again to the highest and to lastly see that each one the work that we’ve executed prior to now few years on this troublesome scenario that we had been in is lastly paying off, feels much more superb.

“So it’s nice to be main the championship, however we’re additionally conscious that the championship could be very lengthy and that should work extraordinarily arduous to maintain that place, but it surely’s a dream begin for now. We’re all very blissful and we’re working tougher than ever to maintain that place.”

After two years of mediocrity – Leclerc completed seventh final season and Ferrari third, virtually 300 factors behind constructors’ champion Mercedes – it will have been straightforward to turn out to be disillusioned.

Leclerc admits that months of arduous work by no means being rewarded with something higher than a center of the pack end did take its toll on the workforce, however he is stuffed with reward for a way Ferrari managed these troublesome moments.

“I imply, it’s troublesome,” Leclerc remembers of that point. “After all you’ve bought instances the place you are feeling down, however anytime I felt down I simply considered 2019 and the way it felt to win and that gave me the additional motivation to simply get again at it and work tougher than ever, to consider the great days that will likely be there after if we do a great job.

“I believe everybody within the workforce had that mentality and by no means misplaced religion and motivation both, so we had the best strategy.”

One of many greatest shocks this season has been Mercedes’ struggles.

The workforce had received a record-breaking eight consecutive constructors’ championships and secured seven driver titles in a row earlier than Verstappen spoiled the occasion in a frenetic finish to final season.

Each Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have been unable to become familiar with Mercedes’ new automotive this yr, with the seven-time world champion particularly struggling.

Russell at the moment sits fourth and Hamilton seventh, with solely two third-place finishes between them to indicate for his or her efforts this season.

Leclerc, nonetheless, is aware of all too properly what a juggernaut Mercedes has been within the sport and, regardless of Hamilton already penning this season off, is cautious of placing the ultimate nail of their coffin too quickly.

“I by no means write them off as a result of they’re such a powerful workforce and so they’ve confirmed it prior to now, however it’s also true that they’re struggling because the starting of the season,” Leclerc says. “They appear to have fairly massive points that can require a little bit of time earlier than they repair them.

“So I don’t know, perhaps not for the championship this yr, however I’m fairly certain that they are going to be capable to win some races in some unspecified time in the future within the season.”

Final season’s dramatic finale, by which the title was selected the ultimate lap of the ultimate race, was a welcome change for F1 followers, who had been handled to little greater than Mercedes’ processions in current seasons.

The begin to this yr has already bought followers hoping that they is likely to be witnessing one other thrilling two-horse race – however Leclerc believes there are extra drivers able to successful the championship that simply him and Verstappen.

“Checo [Perez] is extraordinarily shut,” says Leclerc, referring to the Crimson Bull driver. “Carlos [Sainz Jr.] has been been unfortunate and perhaps he’s now getting there too, however I believe it will likely be in between us 4,” added Leclerc of his Ferrari teammate.

“Each of the groups are very aggressive. All drivers are very, very aggressive, so for now I see a battle between Crimson Bull and Ferrari and never solely Max and myself.”