Charles Leclerc, the pilot from Monaco, is confident that Ferrari will have the chance to secure the first position in the classification of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Formula 1. However, he expects strong competition from other teams.
Leclerc has gained a reputation for his exceptional performance in single lap qualifying sessions since entering the top races. He has achieved an impressive streak of six consecutive starts on the front row.
During the previous race in Bahrain, Leclerc was three tenths of a second behind Max Verstappen’s fastest lap time. However, his lap time in Q2 was the best overall.
In the practice session held in Saudi Arabia, Leclerc finished in fourth place, 0.353 seconds behind Fernando Alonso’s fastest time. The differences between the drivers were once again very small, with only one second separating the top 14 drivers in FP2.
Leclerc believes that a clean lap will be crucial to securing a good grid position. He acknowledges that Ferrari needs to improve overnight, but emphasizes the importance of a clean qualifying session.
« The starting position will be determined by the drivers who can make a clean lap, » commented Leclerc.
Leclerc expressed his satisfaction with his performance so far, but acknowledged that there is still work to be done. He noted that Aston Martin seems to be strong at the moment, but believes that the classification will ultimately be decided by whoever can maximize their package.
Leclerc mentioned that street circuits are his favorite type of tracks. In his previous visits to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, he qualified in second place.
Lorsqu’on lui a demandé quelles étaient les chances de la Ferrari de décrocher la pole position, Leclerc a répondu : « C’est toujours difficile à dire, mais je pense que nous sommes tous très proches, donc je parierais que oui. »
Leclerc a également souligné que l’Aston Martin avait montré une performance solide au Bahreïn au départ, mais avait rencontré des difficultés à mesure que le week-end avançait. Il espère que le même schéma se reproduira en Arabie Saoudite et que toutes les équipes seront très équilibrées.
« Je crois qu’à partir de demain, nous devrions tous être très compétitifs », a conclu Leclerc.
