Bringing a brand new automobile to its debut at all times feels particular. For Charles Leclerc, it’s nothing new, as he has already had the prospect to take the primary laps in a brand new automobile throughout his years at Maranello, however this yr it feels barely completely different.
The need to win stays unchanged, identical to in earlier years, as does the Monegasque driver’s drive to combat for the specified outcomes. Nevertheless, this yr there’s nice enthusiasm across the Scuderia, not solely as a result of arrival of a champion like Lewis Hamilton but additionally due to the work achieved by the engineers, with an optimism that additionally exhibits in Ferrari’s phrases.
Frederic Vasseur defined that to achieve the declared purpose, the world title, a revolution of the SF-24 was not needed, however fairly a reasoned evolution, particularly contemplating the result of the previous season, the place the Scuderia completed with a aggressive automobile and achieved some satisfactions.
It’s from that base that the engineers began, with a part of the ground being an evolution of the experimental one examined on the finish of the earlier yr. Ferrari desires to carry all the weather collectively to seize a title that eluded them in 2024.
Charles Leclerc is particularly dreaming of it, believing that this yr the entire Ferrari group has achieved an unimaginable job to be prepared not just for the primary take a look at subsequent week in Sakhir but additionally to carry a aggressive automobile to the observe.
“My want to develop into world champion has at all times been the identical. I like what I do, I like Ferrari, and I need to win with Ferrari. Profitable the title in crimson can be one thing unimaginable. I’m doing every little thing I can to attempt to make it occur as rapidly as doable, and I hope that is the suitable yr,” mentioned the Monegasque to Sky Italia microphones after the primary filming day.
“We’ve labored rather well, not simply me coaching however the entire group. They’ve labored to make sure we arrive on the first checks as ready as doable. We’ve achieved many days within the simulator, many laps, and it was constructive to arrange for this primary day and the checks.”
Clearly, the ultimate phrase will come solely from the observe, with the stopwatch being the one actual software to search out the solutions sought. Nevertheless, the premises are very constructive, particularly since this winter may be very completely different from the final one. If twelve months in the past Ferrari was coming off the dominance of Purple Bull and had fully modified its aerodynamic idea, this yr the SF-25 is an evolution of its predecessor, hoping to have made a step ahead in the important thing areas.
After a powerful end to final season, with a grid that always proved very shut and open to surprises, the purpose is to purpose excessive. For that reason, Charles Leclerc didn’t conceal that if, on the finish of the yr, neither of the 2 world titles was gained, the season could possibly be a disappointment. The purpose, nevertheless, is to make sure that this doesn’t occur and that the yr may be closed with a smile, writing a web page of Ferrari historical past.
“Final yr we completed second within the constructors’ and I used to be very disillusioned. So, the purpose now’s to win. That’s at all times the suitable purpose for Ferrari, so once you’re in crimson, it’s important to purpose to win. I would definitely be disillusioned if we didn’t win each titles, however we’ll do every little thing we will to win,” Charles Leclerc mentioned.
Charles Leclerc was additionally the motive force who opened the debut with the SF-25, bringing the brand new automobile to its first outing after getting back from the London presentation at 4:30 within the morning, solely to be again on observe at Fiorano for the primary assembly with the engineers at 7:30.
Clearly, it’s too early to attract conclusions, because the filming day is extra of an preliminary contact with the automobile, though each drivers had the chance to push and begin to really feel the automobile.
The primary impressions, nevertheless, are constructive, and above all, the group didn’t encounter any detrimental surprises within the first 200 kilometers of testing: “I might at all times prefer to really feel extra, particularly on such an necessary first day, with a lot enthusiasm, as a result of it’s the primary time we drive this automobile,” Charles Leclerc mentioned.
“As for the sensations, the constructive facet is that there have been no detrimental surprises, which is what we search for within the first laps. We didn’t encounter any sudden emotions or numbers, that wasn’t the case as we speak, and that’s the excellent news. Going past may be very troublesome for now, however the feeling was good, and the environment was unimaginable.” – the Monegasque driver concluded.
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