Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc attributes his most profitable Formulation 1 marketing campaign so far in 2024 to his newfound self-discipline in resisting the temptation to push past what was realistically achievable. This shift in mindset, he believes, allowed him to grab extra alternatives than in earlier seasons.
In his seventh yr within the sport, Charles Leclerc delivered his most spectacular efficiency but, securing three victories and 13 podium finishes, which earned him a career-high 356 factors and a third-place end within the Drivers’ Championship standings. His consistency was exceptional, with 21 top-five finishes—a feat that even reigning world champion Max Verstappen couldn’t match.
Regardless of this private success, Ferrari’s mid-season stoop prevented them from difficult for the Constructors’ Championship, leaving them 14 factors behind rivals McLaren. Whereas Ferrari’s ongoing title drought, stretching again to 2008, prolonged into the subsequent season, the Monegasque driver remained happy along with his particular person achievements. In previous seasons, he had typically been criticized for overdriving in an try to compensate for Ferrari’s efficiency deficits, which led to various crashes and incidents.
Nevertheless, in 2024, Charles Leclerc minimized such errors, crediting his development as a driver to previous classes that taught him the worth of aiming for the perfect achievable outcome reasonably than trying to push for perfection on the threat of pricey errors.
“Wanting again on the season, I believe the season has been very strong from the entire group. I believe there’s the efficiency of the automotive, which we weren’t on the stage the place we needed to be, particularly for the primary half of the season.” – the Ferrari man identified – “The second half, we had been extra in keeping with McLaren and Pink Bull. As a driver, I really feel like wanting again at this yr, there hasn’t been actually any missed alternatives. Which within the different years, once I look again, there was at all times one or two races the place there was an exceed of… I needed to do issues that weren’t doable. And by that, it was biting me. That might imply that I might get zero factors within the weekend I might have 10 or eight factors.” – the Monegasque driver continued.
“Even when that’s not a lot, on the finish, whenever you add these items up, it makes a distinction. On a yr like this, I don’t assume I’ve left any alternatives behind. That’s the reason I’m happy with the season.” – Charles Leclerc defined.
Charles Leclerc Thrives in Intense On-Observe Battles
In the direction of the top of the 2024 Formulation 1 marketing campaign, Charles Leclerc earned widespread reward for his performances in thrilling wheel-to-wheel encounters, significantly for his truthful but decided strategy. Within the Qatar Grand Prix, he showcased his racing prowess by triumphing in tense and carefully contested duels in opposition to high rivals like Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri, incomes accolades for his clear and skillful driving beneath stress.
Charles Leclerc defined that he at all times finds wheel-to-wheel racing pleasant, describing it as one of the vital thrilling moments of a race weekend. He famous that such moments require adapting to totally different drivers and their types. The Ferrari man emphasised that as stakes rise, there’s a possibility to tackle extra threat, which is one thing he significantly enjoys. He cited his latest duel with Oscar Piastri in Qatar for instance, acknowledging that extra threat was concerned of their battle. the Monegasque driver defined that the significance of securing as many factors as doable in opposition to McLaren performed a task in his extra aggressive strategy. He added that, whereas earlier within the season there might need been much less room for such dangers, by the top of the yr, when there’s a clear goal to combat for, being extra aggressive turns into extra possible—and he relishes that facet of racing.