Many experts consider Ferrari to be the dark horse to win at their home race in Monza. The long straights, slow corners and high temperatures at the weekend should suit the strengths of the SF-24. Charles Leclerc, who has recently been on the podium twice in a row despite Ferrari’s actually weak pace, is urging caution.
“The last two races have not changed our expectations,” said the Monegasque on Thursday. “We are in a difficult phase for the team. We are struggling a little with the pace at the moment. I think we have understood a lot since Zandvoort, especially with regard to Saturday, where our performance was not optimal. But I don’t think we can quite fight for the win yet.”
In Monza, three points in particular will be decisive, and Ferrari has excelled at these points this season. Firstly, there are the tight chicanes in the first part of the track, and secondly, the Ferrari is considered to have the best engine in the field, which should be helpful on the long straights.
Furthermore, track temperatures of over 50 degrees Celsius are expected this weekend, which could increase tire wear. According to data from our technology partner PACETEQ, no team has been better positioned than the Scuderia in terms of tire management in the 2024 season.
Leclerc expects improvement
“I think we’re in a better position here than on a track with higher downforce,” Leclerc agrees. “So it should be a little bit better. How much better remains to be seen. We’ll also have some upgrades to the car that should go in the right direction. So if we put everything together, hopefully we’ll be closer than we were in the last few races.”
The fact that Ferrari is not completely convinced of its chance of winning could be due to the medium-fast corners in the second and third sectors. Over the course of the season it has become clear that the SF-24 does not perform as well as the competition in corners with long radii. This is why Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz is also rather cautious.
“My realistic mind tells me that we haven’t been the fastest team or the fastest car since Monaco,” said the Spaniard. “That’s my realistic view. Optimistically, it’s true that we are strong in race trim and we were strong here last year. So I’m optimistic but realistic at the same time.”
What Leclerc hopes for from the updates
As Leclerc has already announced, Ferrari will also introduce a relatively extensive update package in Italy. In addition to the usual Monza wings, there will probably be other parts that are intended to solve Ferrari’s problems in the medium-fast and fast corners.
When asked about the updates, Leclerc said: “There were very specific characteristics of the car that we needed to improve and that’s where these upgrades should help us. Then we’ll see, because I don’t think Monza is the best track to judge these upgrades. Baku or Singapore will probably be more of a test for us, but it should definitely go in the right direction.”
Source: www.sport.de
