It was certainly a remarkable week for Ferrari as they managed to produce one of the two advanced engines before the Russian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc receives the new engine, his team-mate Carlos Sainz has to wait a few weeks until the race weekend in Turkey.
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Still, now that the engine has officially arrived at the Ferrari garage, there are a lot of rumors that the Reds pose a threat to the championship leaders, Mercedes and Red Bull, or even their increased chances of battling for the podium. But is that practically possible for Ferrari?
What did Charles Leclerc say?
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Although Leclerc praised Ferrari’s efforts to bring the update well ahead of the forecast time, he figured the engine will be little help to fight for the podiums.
Instead, Monegasque admitted that this improved engine could mean the difference between winning and losing to McLaren in the constructors’ battle for P3.
Formula 1 F1 – Italian Grand Prix – Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy – Ferrari Charles Leclerc during Sprint Qualifying REUTERS / Jennifer Lorenzini
“In Maranello they always do their best to get the parts early. They did a great job with this unit. We don’t expect to fight for the podium, but rather to have a little more at the end of the championship to be ahead of McLaren, ”said Leclerc before the Russian Grand Prix weekend.
We can be stronger than McLaren: Leclerc
As RaiSport reports, Leclerc is optimistic about the upcoming battle against McLaren in Sochi. McLaren arrives in Russia after securing a dominant 1-2 result at Monza. But that doesn’t seem to threaten the Monegasque, who believed Ferrari could overwhelm its rivals this weekend.
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“I think we can be a little stronger on this track compared to McLaren. We hope to have a good weekend, ”said Leclerc.
Formula 1 F1 – Italian Grand Prix – Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy – September 10, 2021 Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc during the REUTERS / Jennifer Lorenzini qualifying
All in all, the F1 fans in Sochi can expect an interesting weekend. Yes, Ferrari could potentially stick to a much superior car compared to the McLaren duo. However, given the weather over the weekend, Ferrari’s engine advantage could be negated by a wet track.
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Even in wet conditions, the Reds weren’t impressive. Therefore, despite all odds, the weather could turn the tables and maintain McLaren’s dominance over Ferrari.
View history: Ferrari strategy fails that we will never forget
The post Charles Leclerc is optimistic about beating McLaren F1 in Sochi amid new engines first appeared on monter-une-startup.
