Charles Leclerc Is Back to Square One With Lingering Ghosts of Mistakes From 2022: “Don’t Know What to Expect”

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari carried a lot of promise going into the last season, and they delivered some of it in the early stages. But the rest is history, as Red Bull and Max Verstappen ran away with the championships. However, all hopes were not lost, as the Tifosi believed that they still had a great car and just needed a few more critical changes until they were back in the competition for a long haul in the next season, i.e., 2023.

And as the season starts to boil up with car launches, Ferrari’s unveiling was the hottest one without a doubt. A lap by the Monegasque around the circuit had us jumping from the seats. But this doesn’t mean that the car is the best or that the team is ready, despite early rumors of the SF-23 being over a second faster than its predecessor. And no, it’s not us delivering the bad news but Leclerc himself.

“With an evolutionary car like the SF-23, do you think you’ll find yourself in a different situation than at the start of last season?” Leclerc was questioned by the Italian Motorsport. To which he answered, “Actually, I’m in a very similar situation to last year, which means I still don’t know what to expect. I think this time of year is always like this when you believe in the work you do.”

“I know how much work is been done to bring this new project to the track and how much work has gone into addressing the weaknesses of last year’s car. On the other hand, we have no idea how much progress the other teams have made. So, for now, I don’t know what to expect”.

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The news isn’t exactly music to the Tifosi’s ears. However, it could also be a ruse by the Maranello-based side, looking to send a bluff message to the competitors. 

Charles Leclerc is still optimistic about the car

Though he might not know what to expect from the car, Leclerc is still confident about its performance, having formed his opinion based on the simulator’s performance and data as well as the few laps that he had around the launch.

“Difficult to give real feelings, but in my opinion, we have taken the right path. We have worked hard on our weaknesses identified in the past season and we have had excellent results at the simulator,” he said, hoping the preseason tests in Bahrain will be more helpful.

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Ferrari’s launch has surely sent a message across the grid that they are ready. But can they translate the launch success into a yearlong hunger for wins? Let’s wait and find out together.