Charles Leclerc met the media in the Ferrari hospitality in the Jeddah paddock ahead of this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and professed to be moderately optimistic ahead of the weekend, which gets underway tomorrow with the first two free practice sessions. “I think we are working in the right direction and we must stick to the same approach,” he said. “We’re beginning to see the results of our work and we are ready to make further progress. I think even in Bahrain a podium finish would have been possible and I hope that the first free practice sessions will confirm that we can also be in the running here, even if just getting on the podium is not what I really want to be fighting for.”

Popular track. Just like team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Charles is also a fan of the Jeddah Corniche track. “It reminds me of a street circuit, very extreme in some corners, which you have to tackle confidently and without hesitation, even if the walls are always waiting if you make a mistake,” continued Charles. “I also think the upgrades introduced in Bahrain should help us at a circuit with these characteristics, so I am keen to go out on track and see how the SF-25 handles it.”