Fresh off a Monaco win, Charles Leclerc sets his sights on conquering the Canadian Grand Prix, turning past triumphs into stepping stones.
Charles Leclerc arrived in the Montreal paddock after claiming his Grand Prix victory in Monaco and being celebrated as a national hero.
How did he spend the two weeks between his success and the Canadian Grand Prix?
“I’m not really the type to throw big parties, but on Sunday in Monte Carlo, I made an exception… But by Tuesday, I was already focused on the next day’s tyre testing, so I don’t think I partied too much…”
In other words, the Monegasque’s victory in the Principality has already been archived.
“As a driver, it’s important to reset after each race, and just as you shouldn’t let a bad race affect you, you shouldn’t get carried away with the joy of winning either. Indeed, my approach doesn’t change. Each Grand Prix has its own story, and it’s necessary to approach it with a clear mind.”
The expectations in Montreal are again the same for Leclerc: a trio of closely matched single-seaters.
“I think we’ll see the same scenario as in the last few Grands Prix, with us, Red Bull, and McLaren very close. It’s hard to say if I’m the favourite, we’ll have to wait until we’re on track, and maybe even then, we might not have a clear idea of what tomorrow will bring, as the weather could be wet, while for now, the forecast for Saturday and Sunday is more variable. As usual, it will be important to start on the right foot in terms of car settings and then see how things evolve.”
It is with this thought that Leclerc responds to questions about the world championship.
“It’s early, and I’m not thinking about it. I think Red Bull still has something more than the others and they will come back strong. We need to seize the opportunities and do our best.”
“We are the team that has improved the most over the past 7-8 months, and the results we are achieving are the result of the hard work that has taken place so far. However, we need to continue to improve and fight for the victory every weekend. It can be a positive weekend; we must be ready to seize opportunities and then see.”
Ferrari is considered by competitors, notably Helmut Marko, as the favorite for this Canadian stage. Among the reasons cited by the Red Bull consultant are the SF-24’s significant ability to absorb kerbs and bumps—even though the track has been redone and the surface is smoother.
“This has always been, even in the past, one of our strengths. With this car, we have greatly improved manageability and consistency, while retaining strong points such as the kerbs. I don’t expect to see a 20-second gap here; it’s not a strength that we have amplified, and there’s also the unknown weather which could help Red Bull and Max Verstappen.”
Concretely, Leclerc believes that the last races—Imola, Monaco—did not particularly highlight the qualities of the RB20, which has further compacted the leading pack.
“From Spain, I think we will see a very strong Red Bull again. In the meantime, this weekend can be positive for us. We need to optimize our potential and do our best, pending the updates (at Silverstone) which could also give us a head start on Red Bull in the future.”
Carlos Sainz shares the same hope as his teammate: to win in Canada! And he is not disturbed by the rumors about his future.
“I tried to win in Monaco, I will try to win in Canada, and again for my last home Grand Prix with Ferrari in two weeks. That’s where my mind is.”
“The news you have seen are not surprises for me as I am in touch with these teams. My focus is here to perform and try to win with Ferrari. Once I have all the options on the table, it will be time to make a decision.”
Hasn’t the Spaniard noticed a performance advantage for Leclerc recently?
“It has always been the same between Charles and me. He has good performance streaks, I have good performance streaks. The important thing is that when he has a good race, I have one too and I finish third. When I win in Australia, he finishes second, and that’s what makes us such a strong duo, and why we have so many points and can hope to compete against Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.”
“I think it was great to see him in Monaco, it was great to win in Australia. But the most important thing is to always be there, to push each other, to be together in qualifying and in the race, it’s a very good situation.”
Leclerc Eyes New Triumph at Canadian GP. Leclerc Eyes New Triumph at Canadian GP
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