Ferrari senior performance engineer Jock Clear has revealed how a commanding win by Carlos Sainz during the 2023 season was a key turning point for his Scuderia teammate Charles Leclerc.
The standout moment was Sainz’s lights-to-flag triumph at the Singapore Grand Prix, marking the Spaniard's second career win in F1.
The victory not only ended Red Bull’s remarkable streak of 14 consecutive wins during its dominant year but also turned out to be the reigning world champions’ only defeat of the season.
However, Clear especially remembers the implications of the 2023 race at Marina Bay, describing it as a moment that “really hurt” Leclerc.
And yet the Monegasque had arrived in Singapore brimming with confidence.
He started from P3, a position that should have set him up for a strong performance, but which ultimately left him just fourth at the checkered flag waved, some 21 seconds behind Sainz, who had brilliantly orchestrated his strategy under the sweltering conditions.
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Reflecting on the events of that weekend during an appearance on the F1 Nation podcast, Clear noted the profound impact that Sainz's victory had on Leclerc.
“I think he's responded well to a very strong teammate,” said Clear.
“We've long talked about the qualities of Carlos and the fact is, Carlos probably doesn't quite have that edge of pace that Charles can show in qualifying, but you look at Singapore last year and that really hit home to Charles.”
Clear elaborated on the psychological effect of the race, emphasizing how Sainz’s unexpected win stung Leclerc.
“That was a race that Charles would have gone there as a favourite to win,” he added. “He often goes there with a lot of confidence.
“And for Carlos to nick that one under his nose really hurt. I think that sort of thing has made him focus on: ‘okay, I really need to get the job done on Sunday.’
“That's not to say he never thought that, but it does mean you change your focus slightly, if you take it away from, ‘okay, we just need to get the best qualifying car we can and get a qualifying lap, and then it'll all happen on a Sunday.’
“I think you're just seeing a better representation of Charles and of us as a race driver, as a race car, as a race team.”
Historically, Leclerc has been renowned for his exceptional qualifying performances. However, Clear acknowledged that he has made strides in race management this season.
“People tended to say to me two or three years ago, ‘yeah but he’s nowhere near as good in the race as he is in qualifying’,” the Briton explained.
“That’s not really fair. It’s just that he’s very, very good at qualifying.
“But, that said, I think this year you have seen the result of a development on the car side and a development on the driver side.
“I think it's probably true that we've shifted our focus slightly to making the car a better race car.”
Clear also emphasized the importance of tyre management, a crucial aspect of racing that often dictates performance.
“Tyre management is always a hot topic,” he added. “It's not that Charles historically hasn't been good on tyres. I think that we, as a combination, haven't been focused that well on tyres.
“I think what we've seen this year is the result of us being more focused on getting the car working really well in the race and looking after those tyres, and Charles learning from previous years and honing those skills of tyre management.”
With six races remaining on F1’s 2024 calendar, Leclerc currently sits in third place in the drivers’ championship, a position that mirrors Ferrari's standing in the constructors’ championship.
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