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 12 months it feels barely completely different.
The will to win stays unchanged, identical to in earlier years, as does the Monegasque driver’s drive to combat for the specified outcomes. Nonetheless, this 12 months there may be nice enthusiasm across the Scuderia, not solely as a result of arrival of a champion like Lewis Hamilton but in addition due to the work carried out 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 obligatory, however moderately a reasoned evolution, particularly contemplating the end 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 12 months. Ferrari desires to convey all the weather collectively to seize a title that eluded them in 2024.
Charles Leclerc is particularly dreaming of it, believing that this 12 months the entire Ferrari staff has carried out an unbelievable job to be prepared not just for the primary check subsequent week in Sakhir but in addition to convey a aggressive automobile to the observe.
“My want to turn into world champion has at all times been the identical. I really like what I do, I really like Ferrari, and I wish to win with Ferrari. Successful the title in pink could be one thing unbelievable. I’m doing all the things I can to attempt to make it occur as shortly as potential, and I hope that is the best 12 months,” mentioned the Monegasque to Sky Italia microphones after the primary filming day.
“We’ve labored rather well, not simply me coaching however the entire staff. They’ve labored to make sure we arrive on the first exams as ready as potential. We’ve carried out many days within the simulator, many laps, and it was optimistic to organize for this primary day and the exams.”
Clearly, the ultimate phrase will come solely from the observe, with the stopwatch being the one actual device to seek out the solutions sought. Nonetheless, the premises are very optimistic, particularly since this winter could be very completely different from the final one. If twelve months in the past Ferrari was coming off the dominance of Crimson Bull and had fully modified its aerodynamic idea, this 12 months the SF-25 is an evolution of its predecessor, hoping to have made a step ahead in the important thing areas.
After a robust end to final season, with a grid that usually proved very shut and open to surprises, the purpose is to intention excessive. Because of this, Charles Leclerc didn’t conceal that if, on the finish of the 12 months, neither of the 2 world titles was gained, the season might be a disappointment. The purpose, nonetheless, is to make sure that this doesn’t occur and that the 12 months will be closed with a smile, writing a web page of Ferrari historical past.
“Final 12 months we completed second within the constructors’ and I used to be very upset. So, the purpose now could be to win. That’s at all times the best purpose for Ferrari, so once you’re in pink, you must intention to win. I will surely be upset if we didn’t win each titles, however we’ll do all the things we will to win,” Charles Leclerc mentioned.
Charles Leclerc was additionally the driving force who opened the debut with the SF-25, bringing the brand new automobile to its first outing after coming 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, nonetheless, are optimistic, and above all, the staff didn’t encounter any destructive surprises within the first 200 kilometers of testing: “I might at all times wish to really feel extra, particularly on such an essential 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 optimistic facet is that there have been no destructive surprises, which is what we search for within the first laps. We didn’t encounter any surprising emotions or numbers, that wasn’t the case immediately, and that’s the excellent news. Going past could be very tough for now, however the feeling was good, and the environment was unbelievable.” – the Monegasque driver concluded.
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