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Charles Leclerc says he was surprised to set the second fastest time in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix as his lap didn’t feel particularly strong. Max Verstappen was comfortably fastest in a …
Charles Leclerc expressed surprise at setting the second fastest time in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, even though his lap did not feel particularly strong. Due to Max Verstappen’s grid penalty, Leclerc secured pole position by finishing second in the classification. Going into qualifying, Leclerc was initially aiming for a top five result considering Ferrari’s recent form, making his unexpected second-place finish even more satisfying for him. Leclerc highlighted the importance of a clean lap in challenging conditions like those during qualifying, where small mistakes can cost valuable time. He credited tire preparation and fine-tuning his out lap for his improvement in the final qualifying session, focusing on maintaining the advantage over Sergio Perez in the race. Leclerc acknowledged Ferrari’s struggles with race pace in previous rounds but remains optimistic about his starting position and the opportunity for overtaking on the Spa circuit. Despite the anticipated difficulties, Leclerc is determined to focus on defending against Perez at the race start and assess the team’s overall performance as the race progresses.
