Pole sitter Charles Leclerc plans to be an opportunist on Sunday at Spa-Francorchamps with two Red Bull rocketships behind him

Leclerc last qualified for pole position in Azerbaijan GP in 2023.

Pole sitter Charles Leclerc plans to be an opportunist on Sunday at Spa-Francorchamps with two Red Bull rocketships behind him

Charles Leclerc (Credits: The Times of India-IndiaTimes)

Charles Leclerc is on his second pole of the season in the Belgian GP. While he was eight-tenths behind Max Verstappen, the Dutchman is serving a five-place grid penalty for fitting a fifth gearbox in his car, bumping Leclerc up to the pole. Post-race, Leclerc was asked about his thoughts going into the race on Sunday.

He admitted that despite getting pole, the incomparable pace of the Red Bulls is very threatening. Charles Leclerc said that they’d be looking for opportunities where they might get ahead and would try to capitalize on them.

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“I don’t have much confidence for Sunday, with the two Red Bulls behind us decidedly faster. However, if for some reason there’s an opportunity, we’ll take advantage of it,” said Leclerc.

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When asked whether he changed his driving style, Leclerc said, “Very small details, but in the end they make a big difference. This also concerns the set-up, which can give me more confidence from one corner to the next.”

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Ferrari is pushing to close the gap between their rivals

Fred Vasseur
Fred Vasseur (Credits: F1)

Ferrari has certainly fallen behind their F1 counterparts in terms of the development of their car and team strategies. The team is currently in fourth position in the constructor’s standings but is being closely followed by McLaren. Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur has spoken about the unsettling situation the team finds itself in.

He said that the team is focusing on their development rather than getting hung up on their fast-paced rivals. He also mentioned the cost cap regulations and how it is proving to be a big obstacle to the team’s development.

“Red Bull are in front but I think the feeling was quite the same when Mercedes was in front a few years ago. The most important thing is to be focused on ourselves, to try to get the best from what we have,” said Vasseur.

Vasseur talked about how they are working on improving the different components of their car. He said, “We are trying to improve aero, suspension and whatever we can do, and we are pushing like hell to do a better job.”

Leclerc will start on pole on Sunday, with his teammate Carlos Sainz starting P4. The team has a considerable advantage at the start, and it remains to be seen if they can hold this advantage throughout the entire race.

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