Charles Leclerc delivers Ferrari 'change' admission as 'big question mark' looms

Charles Leclerc has explained that he is "changing the car quite a lot" over F1 weekends as he tries to get his Ferrari into its qualifying sweet spot.

The Monegasque driver and the Italian team have struggled over one lap this season, leaving more work to do during races. It has heavily contributed to the Scuderia falling 207 points behind McLaren in the constructors' standings after just 11 rounds.

Whilst the winless Maranello-based squad is still second in the table, with just over half the reigning champion's haul, team principal Fred Vasseur has found himself under considerable pressure to turn things around.

Leclerc and team-mate Lewis Hamilton's form early in the British Grand Prix weekend is, however, a sign the SF-25 can be bent into shape.

The seven-time F1 drivers' champion topped FP1 with Leclerc in fourth, before he went second to Hamilton's third in the second hour of running at Silverstone.

"The day was good," the eight-time grand prix winner said after Ferrari shared the top four positions with McLaren across both hours. "We've been pretty strong so far, so it's positive. We still need to find some pace in qualifying.

"McLaren is, once again, probably the car to beat at the moment, but in race pace, I was happy - I'm finding my way.

"I'm changing the car quite a lot in weekends recently to try and find some pace in qualifying.

"For now, I don't seem to find a way for that, but in the race, I'm really happy with where we are. I think we are very strong in the race, but we've got to take a step forward in qualifying."

A 'big question mark' remains

The weather forecast for the weekend suggests Friday will be the nicest day of the three track-running days, and Leclerc is not enamoured with the prospect of the round turning colder and wetter.

When asked whether changing conditions would change the outlook for him, the 27-year-old confessed he was unsure.

He highlighted a significant unknown facing Ferrari, but did acknowledge the silver lining of not wanting adverse weather.

"It's a big question mark," he replied. "I don't really know.

"We haven't run that much in the rain this year. So, I don't know how it will affect things.

"Historically, we've been struggling a little bit in the rain with our car. So we'll see how it goes if the rain comes.

"But for now, I'm hoping more for a dry weekend, because it seems that the pace is there. So that's a good thing."