P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Charles Leclerc has places to make up should he wish to win the Qatar sprint race.
Following a disappointing sprint qualifying ahead of the Qatar sprint, Charles Leclerc acknowledged that Ferrari is “back to reality.” Despite topping the weekend’s only practice session, Leclerc entered sprint qualifying as a pole contender at the Lusail International Circuit but struggled to match the pace of McLaren. Leclerc and Carlos Sainz settled for fourth and fifth on the grid, conceding an advantage to their McLaren rivals in the F1 constructors’ title fight. Leclerc described his performance as not good given the importance of the weekend, expressing disappointment that Ferrari fell short of expectations after their strong showing in FP1. While Ferrari’s practice pace was unexpectedly strong, Leclerc admits that based on qualifying, they may not be able to compete for sprint victory but remains hopeful for a different outcome on race day.
