P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Charles Leclerc narrowly missed out on pole position in Bahrain and will take the start from second place on the grid on Saturday.
Charles Leclerc disclosed that his disrupted rhythm in the later stages of qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix led to a final lap that couldn’t challenge for pole position. Despite this setback, Leclerc will commence Saturday’s Grand Prix from the front row alongside Max Verstappen, who secured pole for the opening race of the season. In Q3, Leclerc’s timing was only two-tenths off Verstappen’s fastest lap but three-tenths slower than his own Q2 performance. Leclerc believes that switching from used to new tires in Q3 interrupted his flow and affected his performance. While Red Bull was a strong contender going into this season following their remarkable performance last year, Leclerc anticipates Verstappen having a significant advantage over a full race distance. Leclerc expressed confidence in the progress made by his team but acknowledges that Red Bull likely still holds the edge in race pace. If an opportunity presents itself during the race, Leclerc is prepared to seize it and see what unfolds.
