Charles Leclerc, the driver from Monaco, is confident that Ferrari will have a chance to secure the top position in the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying. However, he expects strong competition from other teams.
Leclerc has gained a reputation for his exceptional performance in single-lap qualifying sessions since he entered the top tier of racing. He has achieved an impressive streak of six consecutive front-row starts.
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 margins between the drivers were once again very close, with only one second separating the top 14 drivers in FP2.
Leclerc believes that a clean lap will be crucial in securing a good grid position. He acknowledges that Ferrari needs to improve overnight but emphasizes the importance of a clean qualifying session.
“The starting grid will be determined by the drivers who can deliver a clean lap,” Leclerc commented.
Leclerc expressed his satisfaction with his performance so far but acknowledged that there is still work to be done. He noted that Aston Martin appears to be strong at the moment but believes that qualifying will ultimately come down to who can maximize their package.
Leclerc mentioned that street tracks are his favorite type of circuits. In his previous visits to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, he qualified in second place.
When asked about Ferrari’s chances of securing pole position, Leclerc replied, “It’s always difficult to say, but I think we are all very close, so I would bet on yes.”
Leclerc also pointed out that Aston Martin showed strong performance in Bahrain initially but struggled as the weekend progressed. He hopes that the same pattern will occur in Saudi Arabia and that all teams will be closely matched.
“I believe that from tomorrow onwards, we should all be very competitive,” Leclerc concluded.