Charles Leclerc Optimistic of Defeating McLaren F1 at Sochi Amidst New Engine Arrival

It certainly has been an appreciable week for Ferrari, as they have managed to produce one of the two evolved power units ahead of the Russian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc will be receiving the new engine, while his teammate, Carlos Sainz will have to remain patient for another couple of weeks until the race weekend in Turkey.

Nevertheless, now that the engine has officially arrived in the Ferrari garage, there has been a lot of buzz around the Reds being a threat to table-toppers, Mercedes and Red Bull, or even their increased chances of fighting for the podium. But, is that practically possible for Ferrari?

What did Charles Leclerc say?

Although Leclerc lauded Ferrari’s effort in bringing the update way ahead of the predicted time, he reckoned that the engine will hardly help the team fight for the podium spots.

Instead, the Monegasque admitted that this upgraded engine could be the difference between victory and defeat against McLaren in the constructor’s battle for P3.

“In Maranello, they are always doing their best to get the pieces early. With this power unit, they did a great job. Let’s not expect to fight for the podium, but to have that little bit more to be ahead of McLaren at the end of the championship,” Leclerc said ahead of the Russian Grand Prix weekend.

We can be stronger than McLaren: Leclerc

As reported by RaiSport, Leclerc is looking optimistic in the upcoming battle against McLaren at Sochi. McLaren are arriving in Russia after securing a dominant 1-2 finish at Monza. But, that doesn’t seem to threaten the Monegasque, who felt Ferrari can overpower their rivals this weekend.

“I think that compared to McLaren we can be a bit stronger on this track. We hope to have a good weekend,” Leclerc said.

Overall, an interesting weekend awaits the F1 fans at Sochi. Yes, Ferrari could potentially hold on to a much superior car compared to the McLaren duo. However, considering how the weather is shaping up over the weekend, Ferrari’s engine advantage could well be nullified by a wet circuit.

Also, the Reds haven’t been impressive under wet conditions either. Hence, there are chances that despite the odds, the weather could turn the tables around and help sustain McLaren’s dominance against Ferrari.

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