“Don’t Think There Will Be Any Miracles”: Charles Leclerc on How Australian GP Won’t Mark Ferrari’s Triumphant Return to Winning Ways

Last year, Charles Leclerc and Ferrari went into the Australian GP as the favorites for the race. Leclerc dominated the outing in Albert Park, taking the pole position, race win and the fastest lap of the race. This year, however, things are very different for both Leclerc and the Maranello-based outfit.

Red Bull has unbeatable so far this season, and Ferrari’s gap to them is staggering. In the drivers’ press conference leading up to the Australian GP, Leclerc was asked about how the team was feeling as they approached the weekend.

Leclerc admitted that the mood is very different compared to last season, when they were the outright title favorites at the time. He acknowledged that they are in a completely different situation.

“Clearly, our performance is not as good as last season,” he said. “But we are trying massively to come back to the front. Everybody was really happy.”

Charles Leclerc concedes defeat to Red Bull ahead of Australian GP

Red Bull are the favorites to win the 2023 Australian GP, and considering the fact that they have two 1-2 finishes in the first two rounds this year, it would be a huge surprise if anyone else tops them.

Talking about Ferrari’s chances, Leclerc feels that they are too far behind the Milton-Keynes-based squad to put up a fight. However, he remains adamant that the team is fully motivated to return to winning ways. Leclerc says that they have highlighted the weak points where they need to improve, in order to become more competitive as the season progresses.

As for the race in Melbourne this weekend, Leclerc has already conceded defeat to the cars faster than Ferrari.

“I don’t think there will be any miracles for this weekend,” Leclerc continues. “But after that, there will be a three-week break and we will try to use it in the best way, to bring upgrades as quickly as possible.”

Fourth DRS zone in Albert Park won’t help Ferrari

After changes were made to the track in Melbourne last year, a fourth DRS zone was added to it. The chicane in turn nine/ten was removed, and a new DRS zone was set to be added last year. However, due to safety concerns, it wasn’t used in the end.

This year, all four DRS zones in Albert park will be active, and teams will be looking to make the most out of the latest addition. When asked if this change will help Ferrari or not, Leclerc made an honest admission and said that it won’t change anything.

Leclerc is currently eighth in the drivers’ championship standings with just six points to his name.