1'29″375 is the best time of the Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first event of the 2024 Formula 1 season. It was set by Charles Leclerc, but Max Verstappen will start in pole position.
The Dutchman set the fastest time in Q3, while Leclerc did so in Q2. The Ferrari driver still took the second half and the front row next to the three-time world champion. A good start to the season, but Charles was honest in describing the result as a bit disappointing.
“I'm disappointed. We had good qualifying. Up until today it had been a complicated weekend. We had tried things in free practice, but in qualifying I found something that allowed me to feel more comfortable.”
In reality, at the beginning of Qualifying, the Ferrari driver most at ease on the SF-24 seemed to be Carlos Sainz. The Madrilenian had set the best time in Q1, while Leclerc had to use 2 sets of new Softs to avoid the mockery already in the first qualifying heat. And it was precisely this factor that probably compromised the Monegasque's chances of pole.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“Q1 wasn't easy, unfortunately we had to put on 2 sets of new Softs and this affected my Q3. But they were still good qualifying, we're only at the beginning of the year. We're in a better position than in 2023 and this it's positive. Now we have to see the race pace tomorrow.”
“In Q2 I set a better time than Max did in Q3 and which led him to take pole. We lost a bit of pace using a set of Softs used in the first attempt of Q3. Then I struggled to getting used to the new one I used on the last attempt. I actually had to readjust and that's where I lost something.”
Ferrari confirmed its strength on the flying lap, but now the final test will come. We are talking about the race, in which the SF-24 will have to confirm the improvements seen in the race pace tests. Leclerc candidly admitted that Red Bull will still be ahead tomorrow, but the Red Bull could be close enough to at least bother the number 1 RB20 for part of the race.
“I have confidence, I know that we have also made a step forward in terms of race pace compared to last season. But we have to understand how big a step forward we have made. We think that Red Bull is still ahead and that it has a good margin at least in the race. But we'll see. If there's an opportunity I'll attack, then we'll see how it goes”, concluded Leclerc.
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