Leclerc and Ferrari must show character

Failures in several races in a row greatly complicated the task of Charles Leclerc and Ferrari, although until recently the Italian team led both standings of the championship. But after the retirements in Barcelona and Baku, as well as the miscalculation of the Scuderia strategists in Monaco, the picture has changed considerably and now the advantage is on the side of Red Bull Racing, and already very noticeable.

At the same time, Leclerc started from pole in the last four races, a testament to both his skill and the competitiveness of the F1-75 car, but these successes turned into a series of missed opportunities. Of course, the Italian press and fans are very concerned about this and they fear that failures will affect the psychological state of the Monaco racer.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Leclerc’s frustration appears to be mounting, despite Mattia Binotto’s assurances that he has spoken to Charles, who comes across as a determined man who continues to believe in his team.

The author of the text invites readers to put themselves in Leclerc’s place: inevitably there will be the feeling that you are wasting your best years and talent overcoming endless difficulties. After victories in Bahrain and Australia, there was hope that this year would be a turning point for him, as against the background of the technical difficulties Red Bull Racing faced at the start of the season, it looked like the Monegask had an excellent opportunity. was for the title.

But then the situation changed quite quickly, hopes were dispelled, although the car remains very fast. But it turned out that she had a serious lack of reliability, which of course puts the Scuderia and its riders behind for the Canadian Grand Prix and for the rest of the 13th stages of the season.

So it’s hard for Leclerc to keep his composure and fighting spirit, and basically everything was fine at the start of the season in that regard. Even last year, Charles continued to smile because he believed in Ferrari’s ability to improve, even though his car was noticeably inferior to Mercedes and Red Bull in terms of speed.

Now the picture is different. The car is fast, but despite all efforts it fails to convert its speed into victories, and Charles, tired of the failures, may lose his grip. That is why Binotto, the head of the Scuderia, emphasizes how important it is now to maintain the cohesion of the team, not to give up and let disappointment become the dominant driver, as this has happened more than once in the past. For example, in 2017 Sebastian Vettel battled for the title with Lewis Hamilton and led the individual standings for more than half of the season, but the end of that championship turned out to be such that it is better not to think about it.

By 2022 Charles Leclerc has become a real master, he is performing at a very high level and six poles in eight qualifiers confirm this. In the races he also shows an impressive pace, competing with Max Verstappen, and his only mistake was a departure from the track at Imola, but he then admitted himself that he had exaggerated.

But now he will have to pass a tough test of character strength, despite the circumstances trying to remain calm and calm as much as possible and continue to motivate the team.

In addition, Charles will have to drive red cars for a long time to come, as there will be no vacancies at other top Formula 1 teams in the coming years. Leclerc’s contract with Ferrari does not expire until 2024, and his close ties to the Scuderia are also due to the fact that his manager is Nicolas Todt, the son of the former head of the Scuderia and ex-FIA president Jean Todt.

Max Verstappen’s obligations to Red Bull are even longer – it was announced this year that his contract has been extended until 2028. And it’s hard to imagine that two smart leaders, Max and Charles, could coexist in the same team as partners. to exist.

The Mercedes team has faced serious problems this year, but at least they are betting on George Russell, who sees him as a future leader even if Lewis Hamilton decides to retire.

Leclerc is important in this situation to continue to believe in the team and find the strength to continue the fight. If Ferrari could build a fast car in 2022, there is hope that they will make it reliable in 2023.