Charles Leclerc doubles down on “outlier” F1 overtaking stance

Charles Leclerc has backed Formula 1 over tweaks made to improve the action ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, and firmed his “outlier” position on the action thus far.

The on-track action so far this season has been frantic at times, but while the number of overtakes is dramatically up, drivers have frequently questioned the “artificial” nature of these moves, with rivals able to quickly pass back by altering their battery deployment strategy.

While Leclerc likened the boost button to the mushroom on Mario Kart, the same game that Max Verstappen compared the overtaking action to, the Ferrari driver has enjoyed battling thus far, with the new systems requiring increased strategic thinking.

Asked if tweaks made for Miami reduced the artificial nature of passing, Leclerc said: “I’ve always disagreed a little bit with that.

“I know I’m a little bit of an outlier on the grid, but I feel that at least for the fights I’ve had with the guys in front, when you’ve got cars that have a system in a similar way to yours, actually, the overtaking is really good.

“It’s a bit more strategic than last year, but last year was also strategic with the DRS - if you wanted to overtake at a certain point to have the DRS open, or to not have it and to pull away. So I don’t think it changed significantly.

“Surely, the qualifying is the biggest focus point, and it’s right that it’s that way.”

While F1 and the FIA will continue the standard procedure of continually evaluating how rules are implemented, Leclerc believes that teams should look internally to get on top of things.

“There are still ways to finetune the system, to try and use the system in a better way and optimise that,” he added.

“It’s not always natural what you’ve got to do in the car. There are still some improvements to be made.”