Leclerc details how Ferrari issues 'disguised' in qualifying

Charles Leclerc has explained how Ferrari's weaknesses in its 2023car were "disguised" by new tyres in qualifying. Leclerc took fivepoles in 2023, the second most of any driver behind Max Verstappen,but the one-lap pace could not be transferred into races, withsecond place in Austria, Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi his best result.The failure also means Leclerc has not won from his last 12 startsfrom pole, stretching back to the 2022 Australian Grand Prix, asthe Monegasque detailed how the SF-23 was particularly sensitive toits tyres. "When we have new tyres in qualifying, the extra gripfrom the tyres compensates for the car's weaknesses," Leclerc toldAuto Motor und Sport. "As soon as the tyres get older and lose gripand we have a lot of fuel on board, the problems start. "Then if weare driving in traffic, the wind picks up or the temperatureschange, the weaknesses become even more obvious. "Then it becomesvery difficult to drive the car. "With us, new tyres disguise theweaker points, which would otherwise slow us down. With Red Bullthis is less the case. "As I said, it's a very thin line on whichthe car works. Take the Mexico City Grand Prix: We were really faston medium tyres, but as soon as we got on hard tyres, nothingworked."