Leclerc shows his class as Ferrari continues to impress
Can Ferrari fans start to believe? Charles Leclerc’s performance as Formula 1 returned to Australia last weekend was imperious.
Forget the nonsense about ‘Charles 2.0’. It’s been obvious since before Leclerc made it to F1 that he had the potential to be a star. As Alex Kalinauckas shows on page 10, it’s merely the circumstances that have changed in 2022, which are allowing Leclerc to deliver.
We’ll be looking at the challenges Ferrari has to face to maintain its momentum in next week’s issue but, as our report on p12 demonstrates, Red Bull has some work to do too. Not only did it go the wrong way with its set-up at Albert Park, but Max Verstappen has now failed to finish two of the first three races – and is 46 points behind Leclerc.
So, Red Bull has a fast car that needs to be more reliable, and Mercedes has a reliable car that needs to be faster. Ferrari has to make the most of the situation before the two giants of the past decade get things sorted – and, at the moment, it is doing just that. Having said that, Carlos Sainz Jr will want a change of fortune, and needs it quickly if he is not to be cast into the role of Ferrari number two…
● The Frazer Nash accident at last weekend’s Goodwood Members’ Meeting was another reminder that motorsport must not get complacent on safety (p59), at any level. We wish Paul Waine and his family all the best during his recovery.