Swings in Ferrari’s mood in the paddock: Leclerc returns after a costly error in free practice, securing a front-row spot for the Sprint, while Sainz starts well but makes mistakes in qualifying, placing fifth, crucial for the preparation for the main race.
Among professionals, it’s often said that a top Formula 1 driver needs just a couple of laps to get acquainted with track conditions. Confirmation came yesterday from Leclerc, who was sidelined in FP1 after just one flying lap due to his own error, only to redeem himself three hours later with a qualifying session that showcased his true potential. The front row was pure oxygen for Leclerc, who, at the end of the session, expressed his satisfaction, confirming the weight of criticisms that had previously questioned his qualifying performance.
“After completing just one lap in FP1, I had to go straight into qualifying and give it my all“, explained Leclerc. “In Sprint qualifying, we’re allowed to use only one set of tires per session, so it was very, very tricky. But I immediately found the right feeling, and the work done since the beginning of the season to get the tires in the right window paid off, so I’m satisfied. There’s always a lot of talk, unfortunately in this sport your value is judged by many people based on what you achieved in the last race. If two qualifying sessions don’t go well, people start talking. It’s time to stop“.
After the Suzuka weekend, Leclerc focused heavily on tire preparation for qualifying, but setup issues encountered in Shanghai had prevented him from getting precise feedback. In yesterday’s qualifying, made difficult by the lack of reference points, he finally got the answer he was looking for.
“I have mixed feelings,” concluded Leclerc. “In FP1, I paid a price for an overall unlucky episode. The mistake was really minimal, I think it can happen in the first free practice session. When I tried to get back on track, I had a clutch problem and couldn’t restart. However, being still on the front row is undoubtedly positive. I’ve always been convinced that I can manage the tires well, and today I proved it. Now we need to keep doing it in the upcoming races, but I’m happy to put an end to these stories“.
The mood was different in Sainz’s camp. Carlos completed a good free practice session and seemed on course for a significant qualifying result. Then came the disappointment: fifth position and above all a gap of 0.354 seconds to Leclerc.
“The car behaved differently in qualifying compared to free practice”, explained Sainz. “We struggled a lot with grip and putting together the sectors, it’s something we need to look into because I didn’t have a good feeling throughout the qualifying session. When I put on the Softs, I was still completing a good lap, but I made a mistake at Turn 17 that cost me more than three tenths, so I’m not happy“.
For Ferrari, as for their competitors, the Sprint race will be a leap into the unknown. “The goal? Hopefully first position“, Leclerc commented with a smile. “But I have no idea about our race pace. I set a fast lap, but no one has been able to complete long runs. It will be a taste of what’s to come in the Grand Prix, we’ll see“.
A view confirmed by Fred Vasseur: “As for expectations for tomorrow’s race, it’s difficult to make predictions because many, including us, haven’t tried long runs. We’ll use the Sprint Race to prepare for Sunday’s Grand Prix, and we’ll have the chance to see if the setup choices will allow us to have an advantage in terms of tire management. A good start will be needed, especially for Carlos, but I think we have cards to play“.
Ferrari has adopted a different strategy from Red Bull for the rest of the weekend, keeping an extra set of new medium tires, both soft and medium compounds, and sacrificing a set of hards.