In the final stage in Melbourne, Charles Leclerc was slower all weekend than Carlos Sainz, who was just back behind the wheel after surgery and immediately won the race. On Thursday in Suzuka, the Ferrari driver was asked whether he had discovered the reason why he lacked speed compared to Carlos.
Charles Leclerc: “I think it’s obvious that I was responsible for the qualifying loss. Although I had very, very good performances in qualifying before Melbourne, I did not perform well on Saturday in Australia.
As for my pace on Sunday, I’m less worried about that. The second stint was partly compromised by the situation in the race. I had to pit early because Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri did that. As a result, the second segment turned out to be very long and it was more difficult for me to maintain speed. But actually all the problems have to do with my mistakes on Saturday.
I don’t really have anything to add, except that you try to get the most out of every qualification. My plan didn’t work in the final, but I’m sure I’ll be back this weekend.”
On Ferrari’s prospects at Suzuka, Charles said: “I think Red Bull will be very competitive at this track. In Australia they have had problems with tire granulation, but we do not expect these problems to arise again here.
It is important that we focus on our own tasks and be prepared to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. We want to fight at the front, but we will see what the result is.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
