Motor racing: Leclerc in love with new Ferrari after Valentine’s Day debut
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(From left) Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, team principal Frederic Vasseur, and Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc posing by the new SF-23 car for the new season.
PHOTO: AFP
MARANELLO – Charles Leclerc declared his love for the new Ferrari SF23 Formula One car, after giving it a Valentine’s Day debut at the Italian team’s Fiorano track in front of hundreds of passionate fans on Tuesday.
The Monegasque beat Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz in a coin flip, conducted by new team principal Fred Vasseur, for the honour of driving the red and black car for its first laps on a sunny morning.
“It feels good,” said 2022 championship runner-up Leclerc, who waved to the cheering fans filling a grandstand and watching from a nearby road bridge after two laps.
“It feels special. Everything went smoothly. Obviously with two laps its difficult to go into details, but I already gave my feedback once I was in the car to the engineers.
“The car was running well, smooth. Everything went really well.”
On his aims for the new season, he added: “The goal is to win, clearly.
“The feeling of winning is what motivates me, motivates all the team too. I’m really looking forward to getting back in the car and trying to win the championship.”
Sainz was given three laps in the car as compensation for having to wait for his turn, turning down a request over the radio from Leclerc to be allowed one more lap before handing over.
“It’s my turn, it’s my turn,” replied the Spaniard, eager to get behind the wheel.
“You are P1 for the moment,” he added.
Ferrari finished runners-up to Red Bull and Max Verstappen last season after a campaign punctuated by strategy mistakes, driver errors and a lack of reliability.
Winning a first title since the 2008 constructors’ championship is again the target.
The new car is designed with the aim of improving aerodynamics and the reliability of the engine, the latter being one of the key problems last time out.
Vasseur, who joined in January as replacement for the departed Mattia Binotto, said he was confident the team had done a good job on the engine.
“I think we are in a good place,” said the Frenchman.
“We want to deliver and I don’t want to be happy just because I’m at Ferrari, the most important is to win.
“Last year is not a secret, it was not the best aspect with the engine, we’ve done a good job and we’re ready for the season.”
He also insisted that he will not prioritise Leclerc or Sainz, saying that there will be no main driver.
“I don’t care,” he said.
“The most important is to have a Ferrari first. This is the target of the team. We will push both drivers in the same way. The most important is to put Ferrari first.”
The season starts in Bahrain on March 5, with testing at the Sakhir circuit next week. REUTERS, AFP
