The rare Ferrari problem that made its Saudi GP harder against Red Bull's might

Another Formula 1 race, another dominant Red Bull display… while its superiority over the chasing pack isn’t in question, a rather different problem held back Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix which, if solved, could hint at a closer fight at the front in the coming races

“If I look back at the last six, seven months, we are the team that have improved the most,” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc said after finishing third behind dominant winner Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in Formula 1’s 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

“We are slowly closing the gap. The gap is still quite big. But if we keep working like that, I'm sure it's a matter of time before we put Red Bull under a bit more pressure.”

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.