Charles Leclerc: “The more you push in the first sector, the slower you are in the last”

Both Scuderia Ferrari drivers were disappointed to miss out on pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix on Saturday, with Charles Leclerc missing out by only 0.010 seconds and Carlos Sainz Jr. by just 0.057 seconds!

Max Verstappen’s first flying lap during Q3 at the Suzuka International Racing Course was enough to take pole position on Saturday, with Leclerc set to join him on the front row.  The Monegasque racer matched his starting position at the same venue from 2019.

Leclerc felt he suffered in the closing stages of his final flying lap during Qualifying after perhaps pushing a little too hard in the early part of the lap, but despite this, he remains confident about his potential for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

“The car felt good and it’s always great to drive on this track, especially in the first sector because it has so much grip,” said Leclerc.  “It’s a very fast lap, but the more you push in the first sector, the slower you are in the last due to the tyres overheating.

“I think it will be an interesting race. It will be a challenge for everyone to make the right calls with unpredictable weather ahead.”

“A snap exiting the last corner cost me quite a bit of lap time” – Carlos Sainz Jr.

Team-mate Sainz was equally frustrated to miss out on pole position by the smallest of margins, with a slight mistake when the car snapped on him in the final corner potentially costing him.

The Spaniard felt the time lost with the snap cost him the chance of his second career FIA Formula 1 World Championship pole position, but he will not let the disappointment get to him as he bids to secure his second victory of the season on Sunday.

“It was a good lap, clean all the way until the last chicane where a snap exiting the last corner cost me quite a bit of lap time,” said Sainz.  “That was frustrating, but we’ll keep pushing.

“In general, the car felt good today and I’ve been comfortable with the balance all weekend. Tomorrow, we don’t know what the weather will be like, but we are aiming to get both cars up there again.

“We’ll give everything until the chequered flag!”

Carlos Sainz Jr. felt he was on for pole position in Suzuka but for a small ‘snap’ from his car at the final corner – Credit: Octane Photographic Ltd