Leclerc Cautions Ferrari Fans: Upgrades Not Enough to Challenge McLaren and Red Bull for 2024 Season Dominance

Charles Leclerc cautions that Ferrari's recent improvement won't be sufficient for race victories throughout the rest of the season. He acknowledges a positive development but remains skeptical about its adequacy for consistent wins.

Charles Leclerc has cautioned that Ferrari must enhance their performance to regularly compete with McLaren for the rest of the 2024 F1 season.

Leclerc secured his second win of the season by utilizing a one-stop strategy to surpass McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

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

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

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

"We need to exercise caution," he stated. "Following the Monaco race, I believe we experienced the four most challenging races of the season, as Monaco's track conditions were uniquely suited to our car's capabilities at that moment. Similarly, Monza has its own distinct and unique characteristics."

"There were many straight sections and few turns. We also used a rear wing designed for this track, which contributed to our victory today. Additionally, we had another upgrade that I believe brought us closer to McLaren’s performance. However, I don't think this will make us the leading car on other tracks for the remainder of the season."

"We have a significant amount of work ahead of us, but I'm genuinely pleased to have won one here in Italy."

Even though Leclerc has faced challenges since the Monaco race, he is only 24 points behind Norris in the drivers' standings.

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

However, Leclerc has tempered expectations, referring to similar discussions about a championship bid after his victory in Monaco.

“We performed exceptionally well this weekend, but the conditions in Baku could be entirely different, and Singapore will present another unique set of challenges. Therefore, we must adapt and recalibrate. We managed to adjust from Monaco to Montreal, but as evidenced by the significant differences between those two events, each weekend can bring a substantial shift.”

"We experienced a series of three or four extremely challenging races as we tried to figure out the issues with our car. I'm optimistic that we won't face another run of tough races moving forward, and I don't believe that will happen."

"However, it's crucial that both the team and external expectations remain grounded and don't skyrocket from one race to the next, as that wouldn't be realistic."

"Have we made progress? Yes. Is it sufficient to secure victories for the remainder of the season? Not quite, but it's definitely a positive move."

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