Turning Point in Singapore: How Carlos Sainz’s Triumph Fueled Charles Leclerc’s Drive for Race Day Success

The Formula 1 race that was particularly painful for Charles Leclerc in his competition with Carlos Sainz

"This type of experience seems to have motivated him to concentrate on ensuring he performs well on race day."

Jock Clear, who coaches drivers at Ferrari, thinks that Charles Leclerc was deeply affected by Carlos Sainz's victory in the Singapore Grand Prix last year.

Sainz transformed his pole position into a win, marking the sole victory in 2023 by a team other than Red Bull.

At the Marina Bay Street Circuit, the Spanish driver showcased exceptional skill by intentionally keeping Lando Norris within DRS distance. This strategic move helped protect against the challenge posed by the two Mercedes cars trailing them.

Leclerc, known for usually outperforming Sainz during qualifying sessions, was unable to take advantage of Red Bull's struggles this weekend.

Since that time, Leclerc, with the exception of the race in Australia, has mostly been the one on the rise.

Clear considers Singapore to have been a critical juncture for Leclerc.

On the Beyond the Grid podcast, Clear mentioned that he believes the individual has reacted positively to having a very capable teammate.

For a while now, there's been discussion about Carlos's abilities. It's true that Carlos might not match Charles's speed during qualifying sessions. However, last year's performance in Singapore was a wake-up call for Charles.

Charles was expected to be the frontrunner in that race, as he usually approaches it with significant confidence. So, it was quite a blow when Carlos managed to snatch the victory away from him. This experience seems to have pushed Charles to concentrate on ensuring he performs well on race day.

While he may have had those thoughts before, it implies shifting your attention a bit. Instead of solely concentrating on achieving the best possible qualifying car and lap, the emphasis shifts towards ensuring everything falls into place on race day.

"It seems that we're now getting a clearer picture of Charles and our capabilities as race car drivers, our vehicle, and our team as a whole."

Clear was swift to emphasize that discussions about Leclerc's inadequate race management and tire conservation are now outdated.

According to Clear, a few years back, many people would comment, "Sure, but he's not as strong in the race as he is during qualifying." Clear noted that this isn't entirely accurate, explaining that the driver is simply exceptionally skilled when it comes to qualifying.

"However, I believe this year has demonstrated progress both in the car's development and the driver's improvement. It seems that we've likely adjusted our priorities somewhat to enhance the car's performance during races."

"Managing tyres is consistently a major point of discussion. It's not necessarily that Charles has a history of struggling with tyre management. Rather, I believe that our team, as a unit, hasn't concentrated effectively on this aspect."

"This year, we've observed the outcome of our increased emphasis on optimizing the car's performance during races and taking good care of the tires. Additionally, Charles has been refining his tire management skills based on past experiences."

Explore Further

Sign up for our Formula 1 Newsletter

Receive the newest updates, special features, interviews, and offers from the F1 world straight to your email.

For further details, please refer to our Privacy Policy

Current Updates

Additional Headlines

Website Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

No text, photo, or illustration may be copied in whole or in part in any manner.