Ferrari is doing extremely well in 2024, with both drivers scoring a podium in each race so far. Despite Carlos Sainz Jr P5 unable to race during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc stepped up and came in third. While the car was good enough to win the podium in both the races so far, the free practice and qualifiers gave different results.

The SF24 has showcased good pace as Ferrari sits in P2 in the Constructors Championship, overpowering their biggest rivals Mercedes so far. Although Leclerc has had decent outings, the latest setup has been disappointing for him. While Carlos Sainz will be starting at P2 at Melbourne, his teammate will be starting at P5. And this is what Leclerc had to say about the SF24.

Frederic Vasseur in a pickle as Charles Leclerc voices his difficulty with the car

Charles Leclerc was not happy with the car and he made it clear after the qualifiers. There was a critical flaw with the setup, leading to the car giving a significant under and oversteer. Carlos Sainz Jr finished the qualifier at P2 with a time of  1’16.185 which is just 0.270 behind Max Verstappen. But at P5 Charles Leclerc clocked in a time of 1’16.435 which was 0.520 behind the 3-time world champion.

During the qualifiers, Leclerc aborted the last lap due to difficulties. Ferrari TP Frederic Vasseur will have a lot to ponder as Leclerc expressed his disappointment with the car, “The car was really difficult to drive, it was going from understeer to oversteer, I don’t know why.” This is why Lando Norris finished the qualifiers quicker than Leclerc with a time of 1’16.315. The Monegasque driver often shines during the qualifiers but the issues with the car have prevented him from doing so. This is a big problem for Fred Vasseur as the team principal because if the car is not ready for the race, this will cost the team some significant points that might push McLaren to a lead.

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Is Australian GP for Ferrari to Win?

The new setup for the race is not working for Leclerc, but the recovering Spaniard did just fine beating one of the Red Bull drivers while he was at it. Whether there was a problem with the car or just some adjustment issues is still unknown, but hopefully, Ferrari will get this fixed before the race. With this, McLaren is quickly catching up leaving Mercedes behind with George Russell starting at P7 and Lewis Hamilton at P11.

Are the McLarens catching up with Ferrari?

McLaren has been showing some impressive performance over the first two rounds. The Melbourne qualifiers are proving that they have left Mercedes behind and it’s time to fight for P2. The team that finished 4th last year, is creeping closer to Ferrari and Red Bull.

This year, the tables have turned for the teams, with Red Bull’s dominance being the exception. McLaren is showing more promise and so are Ferrari with them fighting for P2 currently. With P1 being out of reach because of Max Verstappen’s out-worldly driving, the race is on for second on the grid.

While Ferrari has shown consistency and McLaren is yet to win a podium, will the Australian Grand Prix be where Oscar Piastri shines? Let us know your thoughts on McLaren defeating Ferrari during the Australian Grand Prix in the comments below.

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