Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc attributes his most profitable System 1 marketing campaign so far in 2024 to his newfound self-discipline in resisting the temptation to push past what was realistically achievable. This shift in mindset, he believes, allowed him to grab extra alternatives than in earlier seasons.
In his seventh 12 months within the sport, Charles Leclerc delivered his most spectacular efficiency but, securing three victories and 13 podium finishes, which earned him a career-high 356 factors and a third-place end within the Drivers’ Championship standings. His consistency was exceptional, with 21 top-five finishes—a feat that even reigning world champion Max Verstappen couldn’t match.
Regardless of this private success, Ferrari’s mid-season hunch prevented them from difficult for the Constructors’ Championship, leaving them 14 factors behind rivals McLaren. Whereas Ferrari’s ongoing title drought, stretching again to 2008, prolonged into the following season, the Monegasque driver remained happy along with his particular person achievements. In previous seasons, he had typically been criticized for overdriving in an try and compensate for Ferrari’s efficiency deficits, which led to plenty of crashes and incidents.
Nevertheless, in 2024, Charles Leclerc minimized such errors, crediting his progress as a driver to previous classes that taught him the worth of aiming for the perfect achievable end result slightly than making an attempt to push for perfection on the danger of pricey errors.
“Wanting again on the season, I believe the season has been very stable from the entire workforce. I believe there’s the efficiency of the automobile, which we weren’t on the stage the place we wished to be, particularly for the primary half of the season.” – the Ferrari man identified – “The second half, we have been extra consistent with McLaren and Pink Bull. As a driver, I really feel like trying again at this 12 months, there hasn’t been actually any missed alternatives. Which within the different years, once I look again, there was all the time one or two races the place there was an exceed of… I wished to do issues that weren’t doable. And by that, it was biting me. That might imply that I’d get zero factors within the weekend I’d have 10 or eight factors.” – the Monegasque driver continued.
“Even when that’s not a lot, on the finish, once you add these items up, it makes a distinction. On a 12 months like this, I don’t suppose I’ve left any alternatives behind. That’s the reason I’m glad with the season.” – Charles Leclerc defined.
Charles Leclerc Thrives in Intense On-Monitor Battles
In the direction of the tip of the 2024 System 1 marketing campaign, Charles Leclerc earned widespread reward for his performances in thrilling wheel-to-wheel encounters, significantly for his truthful but decided strategy. Within the Qatar Grand Prix, he showcased his racing prowess by triumphing in tense and intently contested duels in opposition to prime rivals like Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri, incomes accolades for his clear and skillful driving below stress.
Charles Leclerc defined that he all the time finds wheel-to-wheel racing gratifying, describing it as probably the most thrilling moments of a race weekend. He famous that such moments require adapting to totally different drivers and their types. The Ferrari man emphasised that as stakes rise, there’s a chance to tackle extra danger, which is one thing he significantly enjoys. He cited his latest duel with Oscar Piastri in Qatar for instance, acknowledging that extra danger was concerned of their battle. the Monegasque driver defined that the significance of securing as many factors as doable in opposition to McLaren performed a task in his extra aggressive strategy. He added that, whereas earlier within the season there might need been much less room for such dangers, by the tip of the 12 months, when there’s a clear goal to struggle for, being extra aggressive turns into extra possible—and he relishes that facet of racing.