Charles Leclerc expressed surprise at Ferrari’s sudden turn of speed during Qualifying for the United States Grand Prix, where he secured third on the grid ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton in fifth.
The strong performance was unexpected after Ferrari struggled earlier in the Austin weekend. During Friday’s Sprint Qualifying, Leclerc and Hamilton finished a disappointing 10th and eighth, respectively. While they gained positions in Saturday’s Sprint race, it was largely due to avoiding a multi-car incident at Turn 1 that eliminated the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
However, the team’s fortunes reversed in Grand Prix Qualifying, with the Scuderia consistently challenging for the top positions and leaving Leclerc puzzled by the car’s inconsistent performance.
“It was quite a big surprise, especially considering the weekend has been very difficult for us since the beginning,” Leclerc said. “We tried to put everything together in Qualifying, and we managed to do so. But I think there are still things that we need to understand from this car because there is a bit too much of a swing in performance across the same weekend without fundamentally changing the car, so we will look into it.”
Confident in Ferrari’s typically stronger race pace, Leclerc acknowledged that a fast start would be critical to capitalizing on his grid position.
“I think everything will be down to the start and having free air,” he explained. “If we are behind other cars after Turn 1, it is going to be tough. If we are in front of everybody, it is going to be easier.”
His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, holds the record for the most wins at the Circuit of The Americas with five victories, though his last was in 2017. After a challenging first season with Ferrari, the seven-time World Champion is still seeking his first Grand Prix podium in new colors and hopes to achieve it on Sunday.
“It’s the closest I’ve been in God knows how long,” said Hamilton. “It’s taken me forever. It’s not for the lack of trying, but I’m going to give it absolutely everything to try and get there tomorrow.”
The result sets the stage for a tense race in the tight Teams’ Championship battle between Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull. With Max Verstappen on pole and Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli also qualifying inside the top seven, Sunday’s Grand Prix is poised to be another crucial chapter in their fight for position.
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