Despite the fact that the Baku circuit would favor those currently leading the world championship, the Red Bulls, the Monegasque from Ferrari set the fastest time in qualifying for the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix to add the fourth consecutive pole position of the year.
Charles Leclerc managed to leave Sergio Pérez behind by almost three tenths, who will start in second position, while Max Verstappen could not go beyond third place in the final round of Q3.
The one who was world leader during the beginning of the campaign explained that “it was difficult for him to see that they were faster” before he “put everything together” on his final lap. Leclerc, once he got out of his F1-75 , gave his point of view on this very frenetic session on Saturday afternoon.
“I feel good, every pole position makes you feel that way,” acknowledged the man from Monaco. “But this time, I probably didn’t expect it, because I thought Red Bull was stronger, especially in Q1 and Q2, it was hard for me to see that we were fast.
“Then on the last lap I put it all together, and again got a lap to get it right, so I’m really happy,” said Charles Leclerc.
The Ferrari driver, who has not won a race since the Australian Grand Prix, was several hundredths behind his teammate, Carlos Sainz, after the first attempt in Q3, so his hopes of making pole position were a long way off. However, in the final lap, he set the record for the first and second sectors to achieve a cushion of half a second with respect to the Spaniard with whom he shares a garage.
The Monegasque said he was “very excited” about Sunday’s event, but warned that tire management would be a crucial challenge if he was to climb to the top of the podium.
“I am very excited for tomorrow’s race,” Leclerc said. “I think we will have quite a bit of tension because compound management is going to be a big thing here.”
“In Barcelona and Monaco, I think we did well, although in Monte Carlo it was difficult to see,” he said. “But overall our race pace has taken a step up since we brought the update, so tomorrow will be very interesting too.”
The Ferrari man is nine points behind the leader of the drivers’ standings, Max Verstappen, and together with Sainz, will try to give the Maranello team the lead in constructors.
To do this, the man from Madrid will have to come back from fourth position, although he assured that overtaking and strategy would be the keys to earning good points in Baku.
