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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc didn’t mince words after the Japanese Grand Prix, airing his dissatisfaction with the team’s current form and emphasizing the mountain of work still needed to elevate their car’s competitiveness. The Scuderia’s rocky start to the season continued in Suzuka, where Leclerc clawed his way to fourth place while teammate Lewis Hamilton languished in seventh. This follows a dismal opener in Australia (eighth and tenth for Leclerc and Hamilton) and a double disqualification in China—a string of setbacks underscoring Ferrari’s struggles.
While Leclerc maximized his result in Japan, his post-race comments hinted at deeper issues plaguing the iconic team, leaving fans wondering if a turnaround is possible this season.
Charles Leclerc’s blunt assessment of Ferrari’s struggles
Though fourth place might seem respectable, Leclerc’s mood post-Suzuka was anything but celebratory. The Monegasque driver described his race as “very boring,” trapped in no-man’s land between the dominant McLaren of Oscar Piastri ahead and Mercedes’ George Russell behind.
“The absolute best we could do was P4,” he admitted, a stark admission for a team with Ferrari’s pedigree.
While he acknowledged progress in unlocking the car’s potential during practice sessions, Leclerc stressed that incremental tweaks won’t bridge the gap to rivals.
His frustration centered on the SF-24’s limitations. “Whenever we maximize our result, that means it’s a P4,” he explained.
“That’s the best we can do right now, and we’ve got to work on that.” Charles Leclerc’s candor highlighted Ferrari’s lack of raw pace compared to McLaren and Red Bull, with upgrades now non-negotiable. “There’s not much more performance in the car than what we’re seeing,” he added, urging the team to deliver new parts swiftly to address chronic issues like aerodynamic instability and tire degradation.
Hamilton’s race mirrored Ferrari’s struggles. Starting on hard tires, the seven-time champion described his afternoon as “pretty lonely,” unable to match the pace of Mercedes or Red Bull. “I didn’t have anyone around me,” he shrugged, summing up a weekend where Ferrari’s shortcomings were laid bare.
When asked about the team’s standing, Hamilton conceded they’re lagging behind Red Bull, McLaren, and even Mercedes—a sobering reality for a squad that entered 2024 with title ambitions.
Charles Leclerc’s focus now shifts to Bahrain, the next stop in F1’s grueling triple-header. He plans to build on lessons from Japan, particularly adjustments made during Friday practice to extract more from the car. However, he tempered expectations:
“New parts are the solution.”
Until then, Ferrari remains stuck in a cycle of damage limitation—a far cry from their storied legacy of innovation and dominance.
For Tifosi, the message is clear: patience is wearing thin. With Red Bull and McLaren pulling ahead, Ferrari’s promise of upgrades can’t come soon enough. As Charles Leclerc put it, “We’ve got to work.” The question is whether that work will arrive in time to salvage their season.
