In an unusual reversal in Charles Leclerc's driving style and Carlos Sainz performing at peak form, Scuderia Ferrari are inching closer and closer to Red Bull Racing.
Heading into the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari will look to take another step in the right direction.
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Change of Pace for Charles Leclerc
The abnormality in Charles Leclerc not performing miraculously in qualifying may seem like a bad thing at first glance, but the bigger picture shows that this is a sign of better things to come for the Monegasque F1 driver.
Leclerc, now paired with a more predictable and reliable car, has improved his own race pace and consistency. He may have lost a bit of touch in qualifying, but at least he isn't making it a normality to try and out perform the car; yes, at times putting the Ferrari beyond its true position on the grid, but risking the chance of totaling the car in qualifying and/or in the race.
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Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Becoming Championship Material Racers for Ferrari
When examining the first four races of the 2024 F1 season we could see overall improvement from Ferrari as a team and their drivers as well. Carlos Sainz is a given, going on an absolute tear and showing how much he deserves to be a number one driver on a competitive F1 team. Unfortunately, this stellar performance is coming at the time that he will be departing the Scuderia in 2025.
This isn't to say Charles Leclerc isn't having a good season in his own right. In the first few Grand Prix, we are starting to see Leclerc mature into a championship caliber driver. Leclerc has been rapid on one lap pace throughout his Formula 1 driving career. This year, we've seen him take a step back in his stellar qualifying performances, but a huge step forward in race pace, tire management, and craft overall; traits that championship winners like Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen, and near future Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton all do very well.
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