Leclerc vows to raise game against 'stronger' Sainz

Race pace advantage

As the 2024 Formula 1 season unfolds, Charles Leclerc finds himself in a precarious position at Ferrari, with the team's decision to replace Carlos Sainz with Lewis Hamilton for 2025 facing growing scrutiny.

Leclerc acknowledges that Sainz has been the stronger driver in recent races, particularly in qualifying trim, an area where the Monegasque typically excels.

Qualifying struggles

Ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Leclerc admitted,

"He's [Sainz] driving at a very high level, which I think is great for the team. It's great for me as well."

"I've been working a lot on that and normally when I work on points I'm quite confident on improving pretty quickly. "

"So I'm not worried, but obviously now I need to show that on track starting from tomorrow in qualifying."

One-lap pace deficit

Leclerc's struggles in extracting the maximum performance from the Ferrari over a single lap have been evident, with Sainz consistently outqualifying him.

"It's a very fine line to get it right or completely wrong on the out-lap and getting the tyres in the right window, and for now, I have been struggling more than what Carlos has done,"

Leclerc acknowledged.

Sprint weekend challenge

With Formula 1 returning to the Shanghai International Circuit for the first time since 2019, the introduction of a Sprint weekend adds an extra layer of complexity.

Leclerc recognizes the importance of delivering in both qualifying sessions, stating,

"It's going to be very important, especially on a sprint weekend, we've got two qualifying [sessions] this weekend, to extract the maximum out of the car on both."

Race pace confidence

Despite his qualifying woes, Leclerc remains confident in Ferrari's race pace this season.

"Then in the race I think we are quite strong this year,"

he asserted, hinting at his ability to recover from suboptimal grid positions.

As the scrutiny surrounding Ferrari's driver lineup for 2025 intensifies, Leclerc's determination to raise his game against the "stronger" Sainz will be closely watched, particularly in the crucible of one-lap performance.