Charles Leclerc was left in a state of confusion ahead of qualifying in Japan on Saturday, questioning his Ferrari team’s race plan at the end of the final practice session.
Leclerc is four points behind championship leader Max Verstappen heading into this weekend at Suzuka after two podium finishes from the first three races.
However, judging by early evidence, Ferrari cannot match Red Bull’s pace this weekend in Japan, with Leclerc unhappy with the Scuderia’s strategy at the end of the third practice session.
Leclerc failed to do a second “push lap” at the end and was angry that his team kept him in the garage for too long at the end of the hour-long session.
“I don’t really understand it,” Leclerc said over team radio. “What are we doing to stay in the garage? My God!”
“It’s FP3, we have two laps. Two laps. Let’s go for it, let’s go!”
Things did not improve for the Monegasque driver in qualifying, struggling for form throughout the session, and he will start Sunday’s race only eighth on the grid, four places behind team-mate Carlos Sainz.
Leclerc has often been frustrated with his team in the past, most memorably at his home race in Monaco in 2022 when a botched pit stop ruined his chances of victory.
“It’s one of those sessions you have once in a season and it’s not a good feeling,” he said after qualifying.
“We can always improve, like in every qualifying session. If I go by the feeling at the end of the lap, it’s a good lap, but then you look at the qualifying session.”
“I tried a lot of different things today but it didn’t work, I don’t have the answer. On a track like this, qualifying position is extremely important. We didn’t do a good job. From Q1 to Q3, it wasn’t a strong session. We have to analyse it.
“The race pace looks good, I hope we have the chance to overtake (on Sunday). It will be difficult to overtake, I will do my best and we will see.”
Leclerc will wear a special helmet this weekend in memory of his godfather Jules Bianchi, the former Formula 1 driver who died in 2015 as a result of injuries sustained at the Japanese Grand Prix 10 years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed his fourth pole position in four races this season, with Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez second and McLaren’s Lando Norris third on the grid.
