Charles Leclerc has praised his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz for driving at a “very high level” so far this season, admitting that the Spaniard has simply been “stronger” and that it is now up to him to show improvements in the coming events.
Despite missing the Saudi Grand Prix due to appendicitis and subsequent surgery, Sainz is just four points behind Leclerc in the drivers’ standings, having taken two podium finishes and one win from the three races he’s entered.
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Sainz’s triumph in Australia was the result of a hard-fought comeback just a fortnight into the aforementioned operation, as he challenged Max Verstappen for pole position and then made the most of the Red Bull driver’s DNF to take the checkered flag.
Leclerc, meanwhile, has claimed two podium finishes from the first four races, with the Monegasque determined to come back fighting at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix as he looks for a first pole and victory to start his campaign.
Asked about the good performance of both Ferrari drivers but Sainz holding the advantage and whether his teammate has adapted more easily to the SF-24, Leclerc replied: “No, I think it’s as simple as doing a better job.
“In Bahrain it’s hard to compare because on my side I was having problems and I think it was a very strong weekend apart from that on my side. However, in the last two fights he was simply stronger.
“It’s up to me now to work, especially on qualifying pace, which is usually a strength. I’m having a hard time putting the round together. It’s a very fine line to get it right or completely wrong on the outside lap and putting the tires in the right window.
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“At the moment I’m struggling more than what Carlos has done. He drives at a very high level, which I think is great for the team, it’s great for me too.
“I’ve worked a lot on it and normally when I work on spots I’m pretty confident [about] it’s improving quite quickly, so I’m not worried, but obviously now I have to show it on track, starting tomorrow in qualifying.”
As for what Ferrari can expect at the Shanghai International Circuit, which will host a Grand Prix for the first time in five years, along with the first Sprint of the campaign, Leclerc hopes the Scuderia will be closer to Red Bull than in Japan last time out.
“On paper I think it’s a track where we could be a bit stronger compared to Suzuka, but we’ll approach it the same way,” he said. “I still think Red Bull will have the upper hand this weekend and we just have to focus on ourselves.
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“It can be very easy, as we saw, especially in qualifying at Suzuka, I didn’t do a good job on Saturday and then you don’t go from fourth to fifth, but from fourth to eighth.
“It will be very important, especially on a Sprint weekend – we have two qualifiers this weekend – to get the most out of the car in both qualifiers. In the race I think we are quite strong this year.”
He added: “Obviously it’s been a long time since we drove here. We will have to see how our car behaves and what the main limitations are in the race, but on paper I think we should be closer to them [Red Bull].”