“Qualifying in Monaco is the most stressful moment of the entire season.” Charles Leclerc got there after setting the best time in both Friday’s practice and the FP3 session, excellent news in terms of potential but obviously an added bonus of pressure to manage. “The stress was there – admitted Leclerc after obtaining his third pole position on his home track – but we knew how to manage it”. It’s not easy to do something important when everyone expects it to be done, but they are obligatory steps for every professional driver, almost everyday life for a top Formula 1 driver.
Before qualifying the only question mark was Red Bull’s potential. On several occasions (the last time seven days ago in Imola) Verstappen had been able to reverse a situation that seemed less than favorable, so caution was justified.
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, with the Pirelli rubber trophy for the Pole Position
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Unlike other occasions, Leclerc took over at the right time. Fifth in Q1, fourth in Q2, and immediately leader in Q3 with the first of the two sets of soft tires available. In the first ‘run’ Leclerc took the lead but with only 26 thousandths of a margin over Oscar Piastri and 0″149 over Verstappen.
Then, with the last shot, Leclerc made the difference, putting together his three best sectors and lowering his time by two tenths. End of the games, with Piastri (very happy with the front row) very honest in admitting that he couldn’t have done more than that: “Today Charles had more.” Leclerc celebrated for a very short time, then returned to the expression seen before qualifying: slightly sketchy smile and concentrated look. “When I finished the lap and they confirmed that I was on pole it was a nice moment – admitted Leclerc – but I think that on the other two occasions in which I managed to get the best time here in Monaco I savored the satisfaction for longer . Obviously I don’t forget the two times I started in pole position without winning, I know well that in the end what matters most is the race, and I’m already thinking about it.”
The ending was perfect, but Charles’ day wasn’t all smooth sailing. “After FP3, a problem with the power unit was detected – he explained – and at the last moment it was necessary to replace it”. Ferrari mounted one of the engines already used, probably switching from unit 1 to 3 (the Scuderia did not want to reveal the information…) an operation carried out in a very short time and without contraindications.
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
“Then in Q1 at a certain point I picked up a piece of a banner or something similar – added Leclerc – and I had to return to the pits to remove it, finally in Q3 I had the sensation of having something between the pedals, but fortunately it was it was just a moment. In the end, the changes to the front wing made between Q2 and Q3 proved to be very important, the feeling improved, and on this track the feeling is crucial. I’m extremely satisfied with the final lap and very happy with the car, it’s been a really good weekend so far, but like I said, we shouldn’t get carried away by pole position, what matters is the race.”
It may seem excessive, but in reality, rather than Leclerc’s pole position, the surprise result on Ferrari’s Saturday was Sainz’s third place. Carlos has an excellent track record in the Principality, but from the first free practice session he didn’t find the right feeling with the car. “I have always had a lot of confidence on this track – confirmed Sainz – but this year the start of the weekend was more difficult than expected, and the leap forward came before qualifying. It wasn’t bad, but I missed those two tenths that come with the confidence you build lap after lap.”
What affected Carlos’ weekend was above all Friday: “When you lose the rear in places you don’t expect, you end up no longer getting close to the walls as you should, you leave yourself a bit of a safety margin, and here it’s not the ideal. Overall I think it’s a good result for the
team, it’s a bit of a shame that the weekend in which I struggled the most with the car came right here in Monaco where qualifying is so important.” Starting from third position means having the podium in your sights, perhaps not the top step but still a good result considering the atmosphere in Carlos’ garage side yesterday evening.
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