After three great practice sessions in Monaco, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz managed to maximize the potential of their Ferrari cars, getting P1 and P3 respectively.
It’s the third pole position at home for the Monegasque driver, and he can feel the love. “The feeling after qualifying lap is always very special here. Really, really happy about the lap. The excitement is so high that it feels really good.“
Leclerc was able to put the car on pole eight minutes before the end, which led to a series of purple sectors set by the other drivers, trying to beat him.
While Verstappen hit a wall, the McLaren’s didn’t budge but it wasn’t enough. Leclerc set a faster lap, leaving Piastri second. Right behind him Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
As always, Leclerc is focused on the race. “Qualifying is not everything. As much as it helps a lot for Sunday’s race, we need to put everything together coming to Sunday. In the past years, we didn’t manage to do so.”
“But we are a stronger team, we are in a stronger position, and I’m sure we can achieve great things tomorrow“, he continues.
The hope is to have a good launch at the start for him and his teammate, to get a 1-2. “The win is the target.”
Carlos Sainz wants the same. “The priority will be to win with Charles tomorrow“.
The Spanish driver has some bittersweet feelings as we wished he could fight for the pole but is happy nonetheless. “Overall it was an improvement for me. I’ve been struggling all weekend with confidence and feeling with the car so to and be P3 was a step forward.“
The Ferrari looked great today, but what about tomorrow’s race?
“Yesterday I looked very quick in the long run. I’m confident that tomorrow the pace will be good it’s just a matter of track position.”