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Leclerc: 'Even with perfect weekend, I think Red Bull will be stronger'

What if Leclerc does everything perfectly in Japan? 'Expect Red Bull to win'

22 September 2023 at 18:59
Last update 22 September 2023 at 21:21
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  • GPblog.com

In Singapore, the Red Bull hegemony in Formula 1 came to an end at the hands of Ferrari. However, during FP1 and FP2, Max Verstappen was 'just' back on P1 in Japan. Charles Leclerc had to concede three-tenths in the second session of the day and expects Ferrari - despite a new floor - to lose out to the RB19s.

"[The new floor] did what we expected it to do which gave us a little bit of consistency which was good to see. I don't think there was a lot of performance into it but let's wait and see, we keep learning about this car," Leclerc said in an interview with Sky Sports. So the Monegasque left feeling good about the first day at the Suzuka circuit.

"The last two or three races we learnt a lot and now it's about putting all of it together which we did in Singapore and we need to do that here too. Red Bull seem to be extremely quick this weekend but I don't think we are so far off," sounds hopeful from the mouth of the current world championship number six.

Ferrari wants to compete at the front again

Since the Dutch Grand Prix, Ferrari has made a big step forward, which means they now have second place in the constructors' championship in sight. In Japan, as in Italy and Singapore, the Maranello formation needs to score big again.

Leclerc is confident of that - based on the first two free practice sessions. "Whenever we put our car in the right window then we can be in front and that's what we've done the last few races. That is what the target is for [Saturday]. But even if we do everything perfectly this weekend I expect Red Bull to be stronger, unfortunately."