In Bahrain, Charles Leclerc watched as Lando Norris disappeared into the horizon. For a long time during the final stages of the race, the Monegasque was able to keep the British driver behind him, until in lap 52, the McLaren driver managed to overtake Leclerc. The Ferrari driver then lacked the pace to counter, and saw Norris disappear into the distance.
Ferrari decided to adopt a different strategy than the rest of the field in Bahrain, and Charles Leclerc started from the second position on the medium tire. The Monegasque was immediately overtaken by George Russell, who was on the soft tire. However, Ferrari’s strategy began to pay off midway through the race, and the Monegasque fought his way back to third place. Leclerc then had to try to halt Norris’s advance, but was unsuccessful. The Ferrari driver finished fourth.
“I just wasn’t fast enough,” Leclerc sighed after the race. “When we finally were on an equal footing with everyone around us in the final stages, we just didn’t have the pace. Just like at the beginning of the race. And if the pace isn’t there, then the strategy doesn’t matter anymore. Then you’re always doing it wrong. We just weren’t fast enough.””During the Grand Prix, there was a moment when Leclerc and his engineer Bryan Bozzi debated whether ‘Plan B’ or ‘Plan Delta’ was the best choice. In the end, according to the Monegasque, Ferrari chose the right strategy. “We did the right thing, especially considering the safety car,” Leclerc continues. “No one knew that a safety car would come in the second half of the race, but in the end, the choice for two pit stops was good.”
More Upgrades Needed
Ferrari brought a new floor to improve the SF-25 for the Bahrain GP, but according to Leclerc, there is still a lot of work to be done. “We need more downforce and more grip. I especially need more grip to go faster through the corners. During qualifying, it doesn’t matter that much, but in the race, no grip means more degradation. Eventually, we will find a solution, but when that will be, I don’t know.”
