After what we saw in the pre-season tests and in free practice at the Bahrain International Circuit, it was expected that Ferrari would be the protagonist in this first weekend of competition in Formula 1 2022, but the result of this Saturday in Sakhir seemed generate surprise even for the author of the pole, Leclerc .
The Monegasque driver, who had finished second less than a tenth behind Max Verstappen both on Friday and in FP3 on Saturday, dispatched with a lap of 1:30.558 in the decisive moment of qualifying, Q3, and ended up beating the Red Bull driver by 0.123s to take pole position.
Even so, in the post-qualifying interview, Charles Leclerc acknowledged that he was not expected to be in the best starting position for the start of the season this Sunday.
“We were pretty sure Red Bull was going to be a bit quicker than us in qualifying, but it was a good surprise, it wasn’t,” Leclerc said.
Ferrari is coming off a very difficult two years in which it fell to sixth in the constructors’ championship in 2020 and, although it improved to third in 2021, it has not won a race since 2019.
Leclerc, who took Ferrari’s first pole position in a season’s first grand prix since 2007, was mindful of those moments of suffering.
“The last two years have been incredibly difficult for the whole team and we were quite hopeful that it would be the opportunity to come back, and I think we’ve worked very well as a team to put ourselves in a position to fight for better places. So we’re very happy with today,” he commented.
Leclerc assures that it was “a very complicated session” and he was not entirely happy with his driving, despite the joy of pole position, and made it clear that we can still see more from Ferrari.
“Of course there is, of course,” he said when asked if there was room for improvement. “Also from a driving point of view, which is completely different compared to last year. The tests were very helpful for that. I have tried many different driving styles and I have yet to find the perfect one. So yes, without there is certainly much more to expect from us”.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, the Bahrain GP, which will be the first time that new-generation F1 cars compete wheel-to-wheel, Leclerc indicated that we must keep an eye on tire management and prefer to keep the caution.
“Now we have to do everything for tomorrow, it’s not going to be easy. Tire management is going to be important, and especially with the weight gain this year, so we have to focus on that and hopefully have a good race on Sunday.” .
“I would still be cautious. The pace is there, but the race is long and anything can happen,” he concluded.
This was Leclerc’s second pole position in Bahrain after the one obtained in 2019 (which was his first in F1) and the tenth of his time in the top category, all with Ferrari.
Gallery: Charles Leclerc’s photos at the 2022 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Carl Bingham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Carl Bingham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Carl Bingham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Ferrari
Photo by: Ferrari
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Carl Bingham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Carl Bingham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: FIA Pool
Photo by: FIA Pool
Photo by: FIA Pool
Photo by: Carl Bingham/Motorsport Images
