Is it possible for Charles Leclerc to win the F1 2024 championship ahead of Max Verstappen?
Jean Alesi believes McLaren could prove to be an “important ally” to Ferrari in the fight against Red Bull for the F1 2024 World Championships.
Having won all but one race in F1 2023 as Max Verstappen eased to a third consecutive World Championship, Red Bull had been expected to dominate once again in F1 2024.
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However, Red Bull’s dominance has waned in recent weeks, as they have only managed to win one race out of the last three, despite their strong start with four wins out of the first five races. This includes three races where Sergio Perez secured second place behind Verstappen in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Japan.
Red Bull’s dominance in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings has been greatly diminished following McLaren’s victory by Lando Norris in Miami and Charles Leclerc’s win from pole position in the previous race in Monaco.
Heading into this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, Verstappen, who compared his Red Bull RB20 to a go-kart in Monte Carlo because it struggled to handle kerbs, bumps, and camber changes, leads Leclerc by 31 points. Meanwhile, Red Bull is only 24 points ahead of Ferrari.
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Alesi, a former Ferrari driver who secured his sole grand prix victory at Montreal in 1995, is confident that the Scuderia can give Red Bull a tough competition for both titles in F1 2024, as there are still 16 races left in the season.
He is confident that McLaren’s resurgence can contribute to the Ferrari cause by gradually depriving Red Bull of valuable points as the season advances.
When asked if Ferrari can aim for the Constructors’ Championship, Alesi responded to Motorsport.com’s Dutch edition by saying, “It’s not just that.”
“Looking ahead, there are 16 remaining grands prix on the calendar, and it appears Ferrari is gaining momentum. Additionally, McLaren emerges as a crucial ally in the battle against Red Bull.”
After Carlos Sainz secured Ferrari’s first victory of the F1 2024 season at the Australian Grand Prix, Alesi responded by stating that Red Bull is still considered the “favorites” for the title, according to “common sense.”
He informed the media, including PlanetF1.com, stating that based on his common sense, Red Bull should still be considered the favorites on regular tracks.
We hope not to witness domination, but definitely favorites.
“Afterward, a close competition awaits between McLaren and us, as we are all operating at a comparable level.”
“I believe Ferrari will have their chances, just as McLaren will have theirs.”
“However, if we are discussing a typical track, a place like Barcelona comes to mind.”
In my opinion, Canada is quite distinctive, but when it comes to a Barcelona or any European track, which I consider to be a typical track, I still believe that Red Bull will be the favorites. However, I don’t believe they will exert the same level of dominance as they have in the past.
“That’s great news for the championship. It’s crucial to be within a close range in qualifying, as even the favorites cannot afford to make any mistakes.”
“And that is the position where both Ferrari and McLaren, which we can capitalize on, were unable to be present during race one of F1 2024 in Bahrain.”
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