With the help of an extensive upgrade package, Charles Leclerc topped the timings board in both practice sessions on Friday, in Imola. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen struggled to keep his car within the track limits and is also off the pace. This gives Ferrari hope and confidence in a possible victory in front of their home fans. If that happens, Leclerc might crown the track as his favorite Italian track over Monza.
L’Equipe quoted him,
“I have not yet experienced victory at Imola. So we’ll have to win this weekend and I’ll tell you later which one I prefer between Imola & Monza. Until now, Monza remains the best memory of my career. But now, we’re going to have to renew it a little bit because it’s been too long. This is the year where things need to change.”
Leclerc, a fan-favorite among the Ferrari faithful is yet to win in Imola, one of the most iconic tracks for the Italian outfit. However, he does have a taste of what it is like to win in front of Ferrari fans, having won the Italian GP in Monza five years ago.
Charles: “[..] I have not yet experienced victory at Imola. So we’ll have to win this weekend and I’ll tell you later which one I prefer between Imola & Monza (smiles).
Until now, Monza remains the best memory of my career.
But now, we’re going to have to renew it a little bit… pic.twitter.com/qsWNEVl1dw— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) May 17, 2024
The Maranello-based outfit has seen an upward trajectory right from the start of the 2024 season. That finds its roots in the momentum they carried from the second half of 2023.
2024 has seen Ferrari make bigger strides, and become more consistent. They found the podium five times in the six races so far. Among those finishes exists a victory which came in Australia as Sainz pipped Leclerc to the finish line.
Charles Leclerc, now, will be looking to add one to his win column, especially after losing out on a victory to his teammate in Melbourne. Just like Monza 2019 was special for the Monegasque driver, a win in Imola in front of the Tifosi will be incredibly memorable.
Ferrari looks to beat Red Bull at its own game
Ahead of the 2024 season, Red Bull’s zero-sidepod concept turned a lot of heads in the paddock. However, as seen in the Bahrain testing, it didn’t slow down the Milton-Keynes-based outfit’s car – the RB20 – as it did to Mercedes.
Ferrari has tried to replicate the design in the upgrade package they have brought to Imola. The horizontal inlet looks sleeker than before while the upper lip overshadows the lower one. Another visible change in the side pod design is the merging of the vertical inlet with the lower part of the horizontal inlet.
Ferrari’s latest upgrade package, tested at Imola, bears a striking resemblance to Red Bull’s design, particularly in the arrangement of the side pods.
However, reports suggest that this adjustment in the radiator inlet wasn’t a direct imitation of Adrian Newey’s car but rather… pic.twitter.com/p39MOug8qq
— This is Formula 1 (@ThisIsFormu1a1) May 10, 2024
The other changes include the reshaping of the diffuser and the floor edges. Together they aim to provide further stability to tackle the visible undercut created by the change in the design upfront and the side pods.
Charles Leclerc was fast on Friday, which shows that the upgrades are working, so far. In qualifying on Saturday, he will be looking forward to grabbing the pole position and helping Ferrari secure a massive advantage in their bid to win the Emilia-Romagna GP.
