Ferrari and Charles Leclerc set double end-of-season target

Ferrari

Ferrari set double end-of-season target

Ferrari and Leclerc looking to make up places in the championship

Ian Parkes

Wednesday 4 November 2020 09:44

Ferrari has set itself a double end-of-season target in a bid to salvage something from one of the worst seasons in its recent history

This year has proven to be a tough one for Ferrari as it is poised to end it without a win since 2016 and the fewest number of podiums since 2014.

At present, it sits sixth in the constructors' championship and is on course for its worst finish for four decades, although team principal Mattia Binotto has not ruled out the possibility of snatching third with a late burst of form over the final four races.

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Trailing Renault by 32 points, and McLaren and Racing Point by 31, asked if third was still a target, Binotto replied: "Certainly, I think that trying to move up in the championship would be great.

"But if you look at Imola, we didn’t, in reality, gain any points. We lost on one team but it is very tight. I think that the car has improved so at least we will try.

"Certainly, our objective is to catch up some more. We know there are only four races to go, so it will be very difficult but why not?"

Ferrari's problem is that it only has one driver scoring points as Sebastian Vettel has struggled all season long and is poised for a personal worst finish across his 13 full seasons in F1.

In contrast, Charles Leclerc has been exemplary, with his sights set on what would be a highly respectable fourth in the drivers' standings.

Leclerc appears to be in a three-way battle for that position as he trails Renault's Daniel Ricciardo by 10 points and is three ahead of Racing Point's Sergio Perez.

Asked whether beating Ricciardo is his objective, Leclerc replied: "This is definitely the target.

"The top three is obviously unrealistic and I don’t think I can do it anymore anyway, mathematically.

"But fourth would be good and I want to try absolutely everything to finish in that position even though it’s going to be difficult."

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