Leclerc Disappointed with Qualifying Performance at Japanese Grand Prix Despite Team Optimism

Charles Leclerc expressed his disappointment after the qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, despite finishing just a tenth behind his Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz. Leclerc and Ferrari had high hopes for the race in Suzuka, but their performance fell short. Sainz qualified in fourth place, while Leclerc was eighth, both significantly slower than pole position Max Verstappen. Leclerc admitted he was slow and couldn’t understand why. He suspected it had something to do with tire preparation, but the team remains optimistic for the rest of the season. Despite a tough qualifying session, Leclerc managed to recover and will start the race from a respectable position. He believes lack of grip was the main issue and hopes to improve in the upcoming races. Leclerc struggled in the first two sectors of the track, but was faster in the final sector. Ferrari acknowledges that Suzuka is a challenging track and their rivals, Red Bull and McLaren, have an advantage in high-speed corners. Sainz believes a win is unlikely, but hopes to close the gap to his teammate, Lando Norris. Overtaking in Suzuka is difficult, but Ferrari is confident in their race pace. Leclerc’s consistency in long races is a positive sign for the team. Whether Ferrari can salvage a good result on Sunday remains to be seen.