Charles Leclerc believes only small improvements are needed ahead of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, with the Monegasque driver feeling no major changes are needed to have a better season.
The Scuderia Ferrari driver started the 2022 season in great form with two victories in the opening three races, but a series of mistakes and mechanical issues and the rise of Oracle Red Bull Racing restricted him to just one further win across the remaining nineteen races.
Leclerc says he will go into 2023 with more maturity after learning a lot throughout the previous year, but it is just small areas of growth rather than an overhaul of his driver that he is aiming for this season.
“I think I mature every season — you learn new things, so you change as a driver,” Leclerc is quoted as saying by Racer.com on a recent YouTube blog. “Whether there is a particular change where I was like, ‘OK, this I need to change,’ not really.
“It’s just small improvements. After every mistake you learn and you grow, so I’m more mature. But there’s not been a particular change, no.”
Leclerc admits that he sometimes does not want to do the training he needs to do ahead of the new season, but he knows its importance as he looks to build on his second place standing from 2022.
“Sure, there are some days I’m not particularly happy to go training, but it’s life, it’s part of the game,” Leclerc said. “At the end, winning is what motivates me. In 2022, we didn’t make it, but I’m planning to do it this year.
“So we need to be as prepared as possible, and training is part of it. You need to be fit inside the car and we are giving the best just to be the best driver out there on the track.
“It’s been incredible — loads of fun moments but a lot of hard training as well, which is needed. I can’t wait already to be back in the car — not too many days left, so that’s great … I hope 2023 will be our year.”
