Charles Leclerc is managing expectations ahead of this weekend’s F1 São Paulo GP, insisting Ferrari shouldn’t get “carried away” despite recent momentum.
Speaking at the drivers’ press conference on Thursday, Leclerc stated that Ferrari will be approaching this weekend with the same mindset that delivered strong results in Austin and Mexico.
Leclerc focused on execution, not expectations at Interlagos
“We come here neutral, just like we have approached the last few races,” he told the media. “I think it’s important for us to not get carried away by the positive results we’ve had in Mexico and Austin. We know that it was thanks to perfect execution from the Friday to the Sunday, and that’s extremely difficult to do—probably even more so when conditions are so difficult to predict, like it’s always the case here in Brazil.
“So, yeah, we’ll just focus on the job just like we’ve done. It paid off in the last two weekends. I really hope it does this weekend, but we have no guarantee, and we know that we don’t have the pace of McLaren or Red Bull. Mercedes can be very strong in some weekends, some others less, but that doesn’t depend on us. So we just have to focus on what we do best, and then we’ll see how it goes.”
Hoping to break the podium-free streak in Brazil
Despite Leclerc’s appreciation for the legendary circuit, a podium finish on Brazilian soil has evaded him since his F1 debut. He was on track for a potential top 3 finish in 2019, but late-race contact between the two Ferraris left both unable to continue. In 2023 he crashed out already on the formation lap due to a hydraulics issue, suffering a DNS. Although he fared better during last year’s edition of the Grand Prix, he was only able to finish fifth.
Asked about his track record at Interlagos, Leclerc remained positive and dismissed the idea that the circuit had been unkind to him.
“I love it,” he said. “Actually, it’s not been such a poor track for me in terms of performance, so I wouldn’t say the same thing I said in Budapest earlier this year. But for one reason or another, on the Sunday, it never really went our way.
“But, yeah, again, what happened in the past, I don’t really think about it. And I’m sure that if we do everything perfect, we can be on the podium for the first time. And seeing how crazy of a weekend it can be sometimes—why not even better? So, yeah, we’ll see.”
Ferrari–Mercedes fight for P2 adds pressure to São Paulo weekend
Leclerc’s recent P2 finish in Mexico City lifted Ferrari back into second place in the Constructors’ Championship, but he anticipates a tense and unpredictable battle with Mercedes across the remaining races.
“I think it’s going to be very close,” he noted. “I think where I expect Mercedes to be very, very strong is probably Las Vegas. They were very strong last year, and I’m sure they will be this year. For the other tracks, I think it’s going to be close.
“So, yeah. We are basically equal on points. There’s also Red Bull in the fight, with Max especially, that picked up quite a bit of pace since the upgrades—I think it was in Monza. So it’s going to be a tough last part of the season. But, again, we have momentum on our side, and I hope it can continue as long as possible.”
Ferrari committed to a “step by step” approach
Pressed again on Ferrari’s recent form and whether it could push him onto the podium at the São Paulo GP, Leclerc stayed firm on his message of caution.
“I hope so,” he said. “Again, the momentum is with us. We’ve had good last two races, which is a good thing, but we cannot really rely on the past for future good results.
“It’s all about starting from zero again this weekend, focusing step by step on what we can control, and try and make our processes the most perfect possible. Then we’ll see where we end up. But I have no idea. I don’t know how competitive we’ll be compared to the guys in front. I don’t know if the others will struggle more than expected.
“There are obviously lots of things that I cannot control and that I don’t really want to waste my energy on, trying to think and anticipate. We’ll just focus on what we have to do. We’ve done our homework back at home in order to be as ready as possible for this weekend. And I hope that it’s finally the weekend where I get on the podium here in Brazil.”
