Ferrari appeared to be able to position itself as the third force during the trials of the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday. Charles Leclerc, however, remains cautious because he believes that the hierarchy is not at all representative of what the qualifications will be like.
“It was very difficult to understand this day. Many differences in pace in different conditions and with different tires. Everyone was on a different program,” said Leclerc. “It has been difficult to understand Fridays for several years with this generation of cars, but it is worse today.”
“We have to focus on ourselves and find the right compromise between tomorrow, which will be wet, and Sunday, which will be dry. But we are on it, we have meetings planned that will allow us to find it.”
He explains that Ferrari is behind McLaren: “Compared to McLaren, it’s a bit everywhere. We won’t have a magic solution for tomorrow. But we will give everything we can because it’s the last race before the break and we want to finish on a good note.”
Carlos Sainz was surprised by the resurfacing of the track, which is much faster and has different bumps than those seen in the past. The Spaniard explains what the program was for this Friday.
“This year, we found a very different track from previous years because of the new asphalt,” explains the Spaniard. “We had to adapt the car to these new conditions and bumps, but overall, the new surface offers much more grip.”
“We need to pay attention to tire degradation, and the race simulation was an important part of our Friday program. Tomorrow, we will try to maximize the package we have and qualify as high as possible.”
In conclusion, Ferrari’s drivers are facing challenges at Spa-Francorchamps due to the unpredictable weather conditions and the changes in the track surface. Despite the difficulties, they are determined to give their best performance in the upcoming race. The team is working hard to find the right setup that will allow them to excel in both wet and dry conditions. The competition with McLaren is tough, but Ferrari is focused on finishing the race before the break on a positive note. It will be interesting to see how the team adapts to the changing conditions and if they can secure a strong position on the grid for the race.