Charles Leclerc is worried about his F1 drivers' championship deficit growing too large as Ferrari continues to struggle at the start of the season.
The Italian team has been unable to provide the 27-year-old a race winning car so far this term, with his podium at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix his first trip to the rostrum this year.
It means the eight-time grand prix winner trails current championship leader Oscar Piastri by 52 points (99 to 47) after just five rounds.
According to Leclerc, the nucleus of disappointing start to the campaign is the changing face of the Scuderia's plight, and its inability to thus far root out the primary cause.
"This weekend the problem is it’s not always the same issue," Leclerc explained to media including RacingNews365 after the race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
"This time it was four tenths in the first three corners. For the rest of the lap, we were fast. And in the race, actually, the first sector was probably the best sector we had.
"So we've got to look at that. Obviously, there are answers in what we are doing, and we are doing something wrong, clearly. We've got to find it.
"We cannot lose too many races before finding it because we're already 50 points down in the drivers' championship.
"We're not looking at it too much, but 50 points is a big number. I don't want to be losing more points than that in the next few races."
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Costly weakness
Leclerc qualified fourth in Saudi Arabia and displayed impressive performance in race trim, and the feeling within the team is that it can win - if it can qualify better.
However, the Monegasque driver pointed out that outright speed over one lap has been something the Prancing Horse has failed to deliver consistently in recent times.
"I think we are close on the race pace," the 27-year-old said. "I think free air dictates a little bit who is going to win the race.
"That's always been the case. Maybe this year a little bit more than other years. And obviously when that is the case, qualifying is more important.
"But unfortunately, for two years, we are just struggling in qualifying to put everything together."
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look back on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's five-second time penalty is a major talking point, as is Oscar Piastri being a potential match for the Dutchman. Lando Norris' title chances are also explored.
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