In the first – and only – session of Free tests in Shanghai, the two single-seaters from the Scuderia di Maranello have alternated simulations of long runs with fast laps. The final results see Charles Leclerc in 13th position at the end of a particular session, with an unusual top 3 made up of Stroll, Piastri and Verstappen. The return of Chinese GP, which had been missing from the calendar since 2019, combined with the first Sprint qualification of the year constitutes aequation with several unknowns, but as Leclerc said in an interview yesterday: “It could be an opportunity".
Leclerc seventh in Sprint qualifying for the Chinese GP
With the pioggia ready to burst onto the circuit, the riders who managed to make the cut in SQ2 have little time available to set the best time. Leclerc closes the first round of Sprint qualification of the Chinese GP putting on ahead to the ranking. Moments later however, Max Verstappen did overthrown, causing the Monegasque to slip into second position.
The slippery track due to the rain brings driver number #16 to the Ferrari in the wall. Leclerc returns to the pits to replacedamaged wing and as time passes he will have one less shot available to try to get pole. In a moment of chaos in which even Verstappen struggled to keep his car on the track, Charles obtained third position. In tomorrow's Sprint Race, Leclerc will start in seventh position following the improvement of the other drivers.
“I worked a lot on preparing the tires for the dry”
Interviewed after Sprint qualification of the Chinese GP, Charles Leclerc He admitted: "From the first preparation lap it was difficult to get the tires up to temperature”. He continued by saying: “I tried to be more aggressive, then I lost the car at Turn 8 and this complicated qualifying a bit".
The Monegasque is very rational and self-critical and says: “Again I couldn't give your best in qualification and I'm not happy about that. If we look at the positive in the dry I made some good progress”. Tomorrow we have a Sprint race and a presumably dry qualifying session, which is why Leclerc underlines the importance of the work done on tire preparation. “I worked a lot on preparing the tires for the dry and it seems there are the first fruits, at least with a view to tomorrow".
Ferrari number #16 continues saying: “Today I already wanted to show something, but then with the rain in SQ3 I couldn't do it. Tomorrow we will try to give our best in the Sprint race and then we'll see what happens in qualifying".
