Leclerc discusses the 'relationship' with Ferrari and cautions that Mercedes appears to be in good shape.

      "They put up a strong fight to delay this directive."

      Charles Leclerc has candidly discussed the possibility of extending his Ferrari contract, but on the track, he pointed out that Mercedes appears to be much stronger than expected in Melbourne. Speaking to Sky Italia before qualifying, the Monegasque driver likened his recent marriage to Alexandra Saint Mleux to a long-term commitment to the Ferrari team. "A lifelong marriage to the red car? I don’t believe a lifelong contract has ever been finalized, but the discussion is ongoing."

      On the racing front, Leclerc was less optimistic. "Unfortunately, we seem to be in a challenging position, particularly in comparison to Mercedes, which looks very, very strong," he stated. "I don’t think they revealed everything at low fuel, but their performance at higher fuel levels was quite impressive. This is probably the first time we've seen the extent of their capabilities, and it’s a bit more than I had hoped for."

      Nevertheless, he still views Ferrari as a credible competitor. "In qualifying, I have a sense it could be very close. In the race, it seems that Mercedes still retains good potential. My impression is that we’re second or third along with Red Bull, while McLaren is just behind and Mercedes is leading."

      Part of Mercedes' early advantage is due to a loophole in the compression ratio regulations of the new power units. The guidelines only mandate checks at ambient temperatures until June 1, which allows Mercedes to take advantage of thermal expansion at operating temperatures—a tactic that rivals Ferrari, Honda, and Audi urged the FIA to rectify. The hot-condition test will now be implemented starting June 1, following six races into the season. "They fought hard to extend the postponement of this directive for as long as possible," one competitor told Auto Motor und Sport. "You only do that to maintain your advantage for as long as you can. They will still be better off, but not by a significant margin."

      Former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld expressed disappointment over the closure of the loophole. "If a team is smart and gains an advantage, they should be allowed to take advantage of it," he mentioned to Sport1. "From what I’ve heard, Mercedes even discussed this with the FIA. If that’s the case, it’s a tough pill to swallow when the advantage is later taken away."

      One area where Ferrari is genuinely confident is the race start. The team developed their entire power unit setup with the removal of the MGU-H in mind, which gives them superior turbo spool-up times from the start. Race director Rui Marquez has introduced a new 5-second pre-start warning procedure for Melbourne—grid panels will flash blue for five seconds before the traditional light sequence begins, allowing drivers to build revs and address turbo lag issues. Additionally, straight mode has been prohibited until after Turn 1 due to safety concerns regarding speeds approaching the first corner.

      Leclerc believes Ferrari’s start advantage could be crucial given the challenges of overtaking with the new cars. "At the start, we’re definitely stronger than the others, but as the races progress, our rivals will likely find their strengths as well. The start remains a critical moment in the race—perhaps the most important considering the challenges with overtaking noted in testing—and in this regard, we have a positive edge."