F1 | Leclerc believes it: “I bet on a Ferrari pole in Jeddah”

Ferrari closed the first day of free practice with a fourth place behind Aston Martin, Mercedes and Red Bull. Rivals that Chalres Leclerc considers particularly fearsome, above all because he believes that the grid can once again be compact, with overall small gaps.

Overall, however, the Monegasque has great confidence and doesn't hide it, aware that he has a car that gave him good sensations on the first day of action on the track on a track where confidence can really help make the difference.

The Rossa has chosen a more loaded set-up than its rivals and it is an aspect whose effects were seen both when cornering and on the straights, where a small margin can be seen compared to its more direct rivals. However, on the other hand the Red showed good concreteness, particularly in the medium speed corners, where it had already performed well in Bahrain.

Even the references in the fastest sections, such as in the snake in the first sector, are positive, although not at the level of a Red Bull which, in that specific section, continues to shine, demonstrating a stability that is carried as a legacy of the RB19. However, there still remains work to be done in the slowest areas, in particular in the first chicane, where the SF-24 probably suffers from a slight understeer and does not arrive with the tires in the ideal window, as had already been seen in a similar way in Sakhir .

“The sensations are good. There is still a lot of work to do, everyone seems very close, even the Astons seem quite strong for now. I believe that when we go into qualifying configuration, we will all try to maximize the package. We have to make sure we take a step forward from today to tomorrow, we've done all the tests we wanted to do, so let's see where we are,” said Leclerc at the end of the first day, underlining how Aston could also be a rival not to be underestimated.

At the same time, however, the Monegasque is mindful of what was seen in Bahrain, where in fact the AMR24 had taken a step back in qualifying compared to free practice, especially when the rivals also moved up in terms of mapping. Beyond the Power Unit issue, Aston actually seems to have started the weekend well, with rather interesting references in the corners: “I don't know, they also went very well on the first day in Bahrain, I hope it's the same here and that in qualifying they take a small step back. For now they seem very competitive, but I think that, in general, we will all be very close”, added the Ferrarista when asked to give an opinion on the performances of the Silverstone team.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

On a track like that of Jeddah, confidence behind the wheel can make the difference, leading the driver to give that little bit extra when turning in and in the center of the corner. In view of qualifying, Leclerc is aware that the group could be compact, with small gaps, but today he would aim for a Ferrari pole.

“When it comes to pole position, it's always difficult to make a prediction, but I think we're all close. If I had to bet now, I would say yes,” concluded the Monegasque.