Charles Leclerc admits he ‘did not expect’ to steal pole position from Max Verstappen at the Mexican GP

Charles Leclerc expressed his surprise after taking pole position at the Mexican GP.

Charles Leclerc admits he ‘did not expect’ to steal pole position from Max Verstappen at the Mexican GP

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc (Via IMAGO)

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc shocked the F1 paddock as he took pole position for the Mexican GP. The 26-year-old managed to outqualify the dominant Max Verstappen in the Top 10 shootout on Saturday. However, the Monegasque driver admitted that Ferrari was surprised by their own pace compared to the Red Bulls.

Leclerc was asked if he believed that his car could clinch pole position before the session. The Monegasque driver made it clear that he simply didn’t think the SF23 could match Max Verstappen in the dominant RB-19. Although, the 26-year-old admitted that the car has surpassed expectations for a second weekend in a row.

Absolutely not. It’s been two weekends in a row where we say that, so then people will start not believing us anymore. To be honest, I did not expect to be on pole position.

Charles Leclerc said, as reported by Motorsport.com

The Monegasque driver claimed that the team was behind its targets after the final practice session. However, Leclerc and Ferrari managed to pull off a great result in Qualifying as the new tires suited the SF23. Charles Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz qualified alongside the 26-year-old as the Scuderia locked out the front row.

FS Video
Today, we thought we were lacking quite a bit after FP3. But for some reason, once we put everything together, it went well, [and with] the new tyres, we gained a lot.

Charles Leclerc expects a difficult race on Sunday

Despite outpacing the two Red Bulls over one lap, Leclerc remains cautious about the team’s prospects in the main race. The 26-year-old hoped to convert his 22nd pole position into a race victory. Although, the Monegasque driver acknowledged that this might be an uphill task considering the pace of the Milton Keynes-based team.

Charles Leclerc (image via IMAGO)
Charles Leclerc. (image via IMAGO)

The 26-year-old believed that Ferrari could keep the reigning world champions behind with the soft compound tires. However, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were still believed to be the favorites over a race distance. Charles Leclerc aimed to make the most of the track position of the two Ferraris as they would start from the front row.

Certainly, fans are up for an exciting Mexican GP. Charles Leclerc will be aiming to clinch his first race win of the season. However, the 26-year-old would face immense pressure from Verstappen and Perez. As such, it remains to be seen if the Monegasque driver can bring home the Scuderia’s second win of the 2023 season.

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