Charles Leclerc Cautions Ferrari Fans: Monza Win Not Enough for Season-long Dominance

Charles Leclerc cautions that Ferrari's recent improvements are ‘insufficient’ for ‘winning races for the remainder of the season’

"Is it sufficient to clinch victories for the rest of the season? I don't believe so yet, but we have made a significant move in the right direction."

Charles Leclerc has cautioned that Ferrari must improve their performance to consistently compete with McLaren throughout the rest of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

Leclerc secured his second win of the season by employing a one-stop strategy, which allowed him to outperform McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Prior to Piastri's second pit stop, Leclerc trailed by five seconds, underscoring McLaren's dominance as the fastest car at Monza.

Ferrari unveiled a major enhancement package for the Italian Grand Prix, aimed at resolving their issues with car bouncing.

During the FIA press conference following the race at Monza, Leclerc advised Ferrari to "exercise caution."

"We need to exercise caution," he stated. "Following Monaco, I believe we've experienced the four most challenging races of the season, as Monaco's conditions were uniquely suited to our car at that moment. Similarly, Monza is a very distinctive and unique circuit."

"There were many straight sections and few turns. We used a rear wing specifically designed for this track, which contributed to our victory today. Additionally, we implemented another upgrade that I believe has brought us closer to McLaren. However, I don't think it's sufficient to make our car the dominant one for the remainder of the season on different tracks."

"We still have plenty of tasks ahead, but I'm genuinely pleased to have secured one here in Italy."

Even after a challenging period since the Monaco race, Leclerc is only 24 points behind Norris in the drivers' standings.

In the constructors' standings, Ferrari trails Red Bull by only 39 points.

However, Leclerc has minimized the hype, referring to similar championship speculation that arose after his victory in Monaco.

"We performed exceptionally well this weekend, but the situation in Baku might be entirely different, as could be the case in Singapore. Therefore, we need to adjust our approach. We made necessary adjustments moving from Monaco to Montreal, but as evidenced by the shift from Monaco to Montreal, there was a significant difference from one weekend to the next."

"We experienced three or four of the toughest races of the season as we tried to figure out the issues with our car. Hopefully, we won't have to endure another series of challenging races, and I don't believe that will happen."

"However, it's crucial to manage not just the team's expectations but also those from outsiders, ensuring they don't become unreasonably high after just one race, as this isn't realistic."

"Have we made progress? Yes. Is it sufficient to start winning races for the remainder of the season? Not quite yet, but we've definitely moved in the right direction."

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