'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ferrari ambassador Marc Gene claims Charles Leclerc has "completely changed" in 2022. The Spanish test driver praised Leclerc's new and improved mindset for this season.
The Monegasque driver won the season opener in Bahrain and placed P2 in Jeddah after epic battles with Max Verstappen on both occasions. The 24-year-old seems ready to be contending for his first-ever world championship title, with Ferrari's brilliant F1-75 proving itself to be one of the best cars of the year.
Marc Gene spoke about Charles Leclerc's 2022 campaign, claiming the driver is a new and improved version of himself. He told the F1 Nation podcast:
“Charles, he used to be very emotional and this year he has changed a lot. Charles is like a 2.0 version of himself. When I went to Barcelona for the private testing, we spent a lot of time together and he was completely changed in his mindset and his mentality, and you can see it. [In Bahrain] I was expecting Charles to be more over the moon after qualifying, after the pole, and the race, but he seemed so much more mature and aware that this is a very long championship.”
Charles Leclerc reveals Ferrari's setup was reason for loss to Red Bull in Jeddah
Charles Leclerc revealed that Ferrari's straight-line speed deficit against Max Verstappen's Red Bull only got worse as the Dutchman came within DRS range. Leclerc lost to Verstappen in the closing stages of the race after an epic wheel-to-wheel battle between the two championship protagonists.
Red Bull failed to score any points in Bahrain's season opener after both RB18s developed a fuel supply issue in the closing stages of the race. Before the unfortunate failure, Verstappen engaged in an epic DRS battle with Leclerc, who emerged victorious despite numerous attempts from the Dutchman. In Jeddah, however, the reigning world champion trumped the Ferrari driver partially due to the Italian team's high-downforce setup choices.
Charles Leclerc spoke about his team's weaknesses in Jeddah, saying:
“I think the point where we struggled the most is whenever Max got the DRS basically because our weaknesses were just bigger, the straight-line speed difference was much bigger. We were still quick in the corners, but not enough to have that margin to cover. So from that moment onwards, it was a bit more difficult for us.”
Charles Leclerc meanwhile leads the drivers' championship ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen. With the 2022 season having more races than ever — at 23 — only time will tell if the Scuderia driver will be able to clinch his first world championship title.
