P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Leclerc: F1 Abu Dhabi GP front row a “big surprise” having feared Q1 exit
Charles Leclerc finished just 0.139 seconds behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen in the final part of qualifying, showing a quick recovery after initially being in ninth place. Leclerc believed his driving was good, but the car’s straight-line speed let him down. However, with fresh tires, the car came alive, leading to a pleasant surprise as he jumped up to second place. Leclerc admitted that he did not expect such a strong performance considering their struggles throughout the weekend. His focus for the race is to consolidate second place and beat Mercedes in the constructors’ championship. He hopes teammate Carlos Sainz can have a strong start and join him in the fight against Mercedes.
