Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc reveals crucial shift behind career-best 2024 Formula 1 season
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Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc attributes his most successful Formula 1 campaign to date in 2024 to his newfound discipline in resisting the temptation to push beyond what was realistically achievable. This shift in mindset, he believes, allowed him to seize more opportunities than in previous seasons.
In his seventh year in the sport, Charles Leclerc delivered his most impressive performance yet, securing three victories and 13 podium finishes, which earned him a career-high 356 points and a third-place finish in the Drivers’ Championship standings. His consistency was remarkable, with 21 top-five finishes—a feat that even reigning world champion Max Verstappen could not match.
Despite this personal success, Ferrari's mid-season slump prevented them from challenging for the Constructors' Championship, leaving them 14 points behind rivals McLaren. While Ferrari’s ongoing title drought, stretching back to 2008, extended into the next season, the Monegasque driver remained pleased with his individual achievements. In past seasons, he had often been criticized for overdriving in an attempt to compensate for Ferrari's performance deficits, which led to a number of crashes and incidents.
However, in 2024, Charles Leclerc minimized such errors, crediting his growth as a driver to past lessons that taught him the value of aiming for the best achievable result rather than attempting to push for perfection at the risk of costly mistakes.
"Looking back at the season, I think the season has been very solid from the whole team. I think there's the performance of the car, which we weren't at the level where we wanted to be, especially for the first half of the season.” – the Ferrari man pointed out – "The second half, we were more in line with McLaren and Red Bull. As a driver, I feel like looking back at this year, there hasn't been really any missed opportunities. Which in the other years, when I look back, there was always one or two races where there was an exceed of… I wanted to do things that were not possible. And by that, it was biting me. That would mean that I would get zero points in the weekend I would have 10 or eight points.” – the Monegasque driver continued.
"Even if that's not much, at the end, when you add these things up, it makes a difference. On a year like this, I don't think I've left any opportunities behind. That is why I'm satisfied with the season." – Charles Leclerc explained.
Charles Leclerc Thrives in Intense On-Track Battles
Towards the end of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign, Charles Leclerc earned widespread praise for his performances in thrilling wheel-to-wheel encounters, particularly for his fair yet determined approach. In the Qatar Grand Prix, he showcased his racing prowess by triumphing in tense and closely contested duels against top competitors like Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri, earning accolades for his clean and skillful driving under pressure.
Charles Leclerc explained that he always finds wheel-to-wheel racing enjoyable, describing it as one of the most exciting moments of a race weekend. He noted that such moments require adapting to different drivers and their styles. The Ferrari man emphasized that as stakes rise, there's an opportunity to take on more risk, which is something he particularly enjoys. He cited his recent duel with Oscar Piastri in Qatar as an example, acknowledging that more risk was involved in their battle. the Monegasque driver explained that the importance of securing as many points as possible against McLaren played a role in his more aggressive approach. He added that, while earlier in the season there might have been less room for such risks, by the end of the year, when there is a clear target to fight for, being more aggressive becomes more feasible—and he relishes that aspect of racing.
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