Leclerc: SF1000 performing ‘better than expected’ in Hungary

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc says the team’s troubled SF1000 is performing better than expected in Hungary, in part thanks to the venue’s tight and twisty layout.

The Scuderia’s troubled start to its 2020 campaign compelled the Italian outfit to introduce an update package last week in Austria that was initially scheduled for Hungary.

Leclerc and Vettel’s painful retirement on the opening lap of the Styrian Grand Prix crushed the team’s plans to assess its package in racing conditions.

Vettel clocks in fastest in FP2 rain-disrupted session

Vettel said the updates were not “a game changer” but Leclerc felt the SF1000’s balance was better in Hungary relative to last weekend.

“This morning it went better than what we expected to be honest,” said Leclerc who finished FP1 in seventh place.

“We didn’t arrive here with lots of new pieces. Actually, it’s pretty much the same car but it looks like the car is better on this track, which is a good thing.

“This afternoon I struggled quite a bit on my side. We were trying different things and I wasn’t very happy with the car, and just struggling with the confidence in the wet.

“We’ve seen some positive signs this morning.”

©Ferrari

Vettel, who was fastest in the rain-disrupted second practice session, also believes that Ferrari’s level of performance will get a boost from the track’s configuration.

“I think this morning was okay, I think it should be a bit better for us on this track. Let’s hope that it stays like this tomorrow,” said the German.

“We don’t know until we hit qualifying. We used a little bit more laps than others in the wet, just to try and see after our weaknesses last week, and understand a little bit further.

“There’s still a lot of homework to do. But yeah, overall, it seemed like a better day.”

MITRANAND