(L to R): Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari receives the Pirelli Pole Position Award from Nicholas Galitzine (GBR) Actor in the post-qualifying park. May 25, 2024. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 8, Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, Monaco, Qualifying Day.
Charles Leclerc revealed that his Ferrari Formula 1 team had to make a last-minute change to the engine of his car before securing pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Leclerc had been the leader in the second and third free practice sessions, but had not led the times in any of the earlier qualifying segments.
However, the Monegasque driver secured provisional pole position with his first attempt in Q3 and further improved on his final lap to finish 0.154s ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Leclerc is determined to turn the third time lucky in his own territory tomorrow, as he has started from pole position in Monte Carlo twice before but failed to reach the podium.
“It feels as special as the first one,” Leclerc replied when asked about the significance of adding to his consecutive poles in Monaco in 2021 and 2022.
“I believe that in Monaco, the emotions and tension you feel before getting into the car are much greater than anywhere else on the calendar. So yes, when you complete the lap and hear that you’re on pole position, it’s always an incredibly unique feeling.
“However, in the past, the emotions lasted for a longer period of time. But now, having started from pole twice without getting the win, which is what matters most, my focus is just on preparing myself and doing everything possible.”
Leclerc revealed that there were some concerns within his team at Ferrari, as they had to make a preventive swap of the power unit in his SF-24 after the final practice session.
“It was quite an experience. The weekend was amazing up until after FP3, when we found an issue with my engine,” he shared.
“And at the last minute, we had to change the engine, which was quite challenging. Luckily, it had no negative impact on my weekend.”
Leclerc denied that his qualifying was smooth, as he picked up a sponsorship sticker on his car during Q1, which disrupted his run compared to other drivers.
Meanwhile, Leclerc admitted he was not comfortable with his Ferrari car during practice, but some adjustments to his front wing helped him regain his speed and secure pole position.
“It was quite tough,” he expressed. “I had that sticker, that sponsor sticker, on the lap that was crucial at that time, and it set us back significantly.
“So we stopped to remove the sponsor’s strip from the front wing and went out again. It was already quite challenging because in Monaco qualifying, you just want to be out there doing normal laps, so I was hoping for no yellow or red flags after that. Luckily, everything went well.
“Then, in Q2, we struggled a bit more with the balance of the car and I couldn’t find the right feeling.
“But in Q3, we made some adjustments, especially to the front wing and tools, and I found my pace again.
“So I was a bit happier in Q3, even though the feeling was a bit better in FP2 and FP3.”
Leclerc emphasized that he will approach tomorrow’s race the same way as any other, despite the increased attention on the Monaco bad luck he has already experienced.
“We try to approach each race with the same mentality, keeping in mind that track position is crucial here in Monaco. We will try to maximize our race and go for the win,” he said.
“Yes, everything I said is pretty obvious, but we are treating it like a normal race, and that’s what we will do.”
When asked about the short distance to Sainte Devote, one of the shortest races on the calendar, Leclerc replied: “Well, I haven’t seen many cases of people losing at Turn 1.”
“So I think it’s a very short race to Turn 1. But never say never, of course. We will focus on the start and see what happens.”
© 2024
A new world cup championship is about to begin and fans from all over the world are eager to see their favorite teams in action. With the competition approaching, many experts are making their predictions on which teams have the best chances of winning the tournament.
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