Leclerc unhappy with qualifying performance: “I didn't do a good enough job”
Written by Bo Helmus
After having dominated the Friday sessions, Charles Leclerc only qualified in third place on Saturday. The Monegasque had to watch his teammate clinch Ferrari’s first pole of the season.
It was an exciting battle for pole, with only two tenths separating the Top 5. With such tiny margins, it is important that everything on the car works perfectly.
Unfortunately for Leclerc, that wasn’t the case. He struggled with the same issue that he had in Austin last week. He wasn’t able to get his tyres in the right window to have an optimum qualifying lap.
Tyre prep
The 29-year-old blames himself: “I just didn't do a good enough job. Tyre preparation is quite key. I kind of struggled to have the same conditions for my out lap throughout the qualifying.”
Although his tyres might not have been the problem: “At the end of the day, when I had a clean out lap in Q3, run two, I didn't do the job. So I can only be angry with myself.”
Strong pace
With Lewis Hamilton on pole and some strong stints in the practice sessions, Ferrari proved that they have good pace around this track. That gives Leclerc hope: “I think we've got a very strong car in the corners.
“In the straight, we pay the price of less power, but also probably a bit more drag. And with driving in such conditions, so high in altitude, you pay the price a little bit less in the straights of the extra drag and of the missing horsepower.
“So, yes, it's been a good track. And on paper, normally this year, we never really performed as we expected on the tracks we expected to be good. But this weekend has been the case, so it's a good sign.”
Slipstream
Another bonus for the Monegasque is the long run to Turn 1. Being on pole means that you’re vulnerable to the cars behind. Starting third means that you can get a double slipstream from the cars ahead.
“I mean, I'll keep my head down as much as possible and see what's possible,” Leclerc said. “It's always an exciting Turn 1 there, and we'll see how it goes.”
Overtake mode
The Ferrari driver is confident that his car will perform on the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez: “I think the pace is good. The car feels good, and felt good since FP1.”
However, he isn’t too sure about passing others: “I think on that we've got the race pace, but I doubt there will be any overtakes tomorrow. I've tried more in FP2, and it's just very difficult because the overtake mode doesn't do much.
“I think whatever is the standing after Turn 3, it's going to be very difficult then to overtake. So, it's a bit of a shame that I didn't do the job eventually when it mattered.”
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