Charles Leclerc views his again row beginning place as a consequence of a grid penalty and a observe limits violation as a motivating issue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Ferrari needed to give Leclerc a brand new power retailer after Friday, leading to a 10-place grid penalty that ensured the perfect beginning place he might safe was eleventh on the grid. Leclerc seemed aggressive in qualifying however then had his greatest Q2 lap deleted for exceeding observe limits, leading to him dropping out early and beginning on the again row.
“[I feel] not so good after a qualifying like that,” Leclerc stated. “We had been just a little bit higher. It’s true that I don’t assume we might have managed to beat the McLarens — they appeared too robust — however we might have been fourth. It was both P15 or P20 and P15 is best than P20. But when I get my lap time deleted it means we begin from P20.
“We don’t make our life any simpler. Nonetheless, it motivates me to do one thing very particular tomorrow. My objective stays the identical: it’s to win the constructors’ championship. And I nonetheless consider in it as a lot as I did yesterday, though on paper clearly it’s going to be arduous.”
Admitting the observe limits violation was merely his personal mistake, Leclerc says he’s nonetheless believing Ferrari can overturn a 21-point deficit in opposition to McLaren to win the constructors’ title, regardless of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locking out the entrance row.
“It’s very troublesome [to judge Turn 1] — it’s clearly very troublesome,” he stated. “But it surely’s very troublesome for everyone and I used to be on the mistaken aspect of issues in Q2 so I can solely blame myself.
“The race tempo was OK, however McLaren gave the impression to be loads stronger. We’ve modified the automotive fairly a bit since FP3. I feel we went in the proper route. If something our tire degradation is best than others, so I might anticipate to be in a greater place.
“I consider in miracles. It makes our life very troublesome, that’s for certain. However with the 10-place grid penalty it was all the time going to be troublesome. However I see a possibility to do one thing very particular and I’ll do my greatest to do it. I’ll consider in it till the final lap. Something can occur.”
