Charles Leclerc gains confidence with fresh setup at Suzuka, while Lewis Hamilton hopes rain can rescue a tough qualifying session in Japan.
It was another underwhelming qualifying session for Ferrari at Suzuka — but Charles Leclerc is finding silver linings.
The Monegasque driver qualified P4, three tenths off the pace set by Max Verstappen, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri also ahead. While the gap to Red Bull and McLaren remains a concern, Leclerc sees progress.
Leclerc shared that changes made to his setup over the weekend gave him newfound confidence — a key positive as the season moves forward.
“It actually worked quite well — strong in Q1, a bit less in Q2 and Q3. Of course, we can’t be thrilled with fourth place, but I’m glad we took the risk with these changes. They helped me push the car to its limits and get more out of it. We’re still clearly behind Red Bull and McLaren, but we’re working on it,” said Leclerc.
He emphasized that while outright performance is still lacking, the improved balance makes him feel more in sync with the car.
“What matters is that I was able to extract the maximum from the car — and that gives me confidence for the race. I went in a completely different setup direction, and I feel more comfortable. That’s a good sign not just for tomorrow, but for the rest of the season.”
Heading into the race, especially if conditions stay dry, Leclerc admits there’s still uncertainty.
“We didn’t get to run any race simulations with this setup yesterday, so I have a lot of question marks. My gut tells me it’ll be better. Rain could change things too — but overall, the feeling today was positive. I think we’re on the right track.”
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton was far less optimistic after qualifying P8 for Mercedes.
“Not good enough on my side. Eighth isn’t great. We’re further off than I’d like, but everyone’s facing similar challenges,” Hamilton said.
He praised Leclerc’s performance but admitted his own setup didn’t click.
“Charles did an incredible job. We went in different directions with setup. I was struggling with understeer and couldn’t get it sorted.”
Hamilton, who thrives in wet conditions, is hoping the weather will offer him a lifeline.
“I love racing in the rain — so after a session like that, I wouldn’t mind seeing some showers tomorrow.”
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Leclerc Finds Pace Boost, Hamilton Left Chasing Rain
Leclerc Finds Pace Boost, Hamilton Left Chasing Rain