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Leclerc: Ferrari lacking pace to challenge Red Bull to Suzuka F1 pole
During FP1, Melbourne winner Carlos Sainz set the best time of the Ferrari duo, but was 0.213s shy of Max Verstappen’s effort. Leclerc trailed behind both McLarens and ranked sixth in the overall FP1 order. Leclerc aimed to find a “special lap” in Saturday’s qualifying but recognized Red Bull’s strong performance. Sainz expressed optimism about Ferrari’s progress, mentioning a closer gap to Red Bull compared to five months ago. Red Bull advisor Marko acknowledged Ferrari’s pace but hoped it was due to a lower fuel run. He emphasized the need for Red Bull to fine-tune their upgrades for the race.
