Charles Leclerc gave his all in the Sprint Qualifying in Brazil, taking a precious third place. In a weekend that promises to be complex for Ferrari, the Monegasque was able to exploit every opportunity, pushing the SF-24 to the limit and placing himself behind the very fast McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The result represents the maximum possible, considering the narrow margin that separated Leclerc from Piastri's pole, a sign of the excellent work done by the team to stay in the wake of their rivals.
A good qualifying for Ferrari
“I’m happy because we got the maximum result, but I think there was no room for improvement,” said Leclerc immediately after sprint qualifying in Brazil. Aware of the level of the McLarens, the Ferrari driver showed confidence in the potential of the SF-24, while acknowledging that McLaren’s competitiveness in Brazil presents a tough challenge to face. “McLaren was really fast today, while we are a bit further back,” explained Leclerc, “but it will be important to score a lot of points for the championship.”
An important weekend to continue believing in the world championship
Ferrari, after recent successes in Austin and Mexico, continues its pursuit of McLaren for the Constructors' title. With just 29 points behind, every opportunity to close in on their British rival is crucial, especially now that the championship has entered its final phase. Leclerc and the Maranello team know well how important it is to maximise every single opportunity on the track in order not to lose the pace of the final races.
Despite third on the grid for the Sprint, Leclerc does not intend to backtrack and promises an intense race, aiming to challenge the McLarens also in the short race. “I don’t like to say that they are out of reach so early in the weekend,” he concluded, “so we will give everything to challenge them.” With four races and two Sprints left on the calendar, Ferrari continues to push to finish the season on a high, aware that even a single point can make the difference.
Source statements: SkySportF1
