‘The feeling is good’: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz provide verdicts on Friday running at the Japanese GP
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Carlos Sainz(on the left) and Charles Leclerc(on the right)
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari come into Japan with the knowledge that Max Verstappen has a very solid chance of sealing the title here itself, with 4 races to go. All the Dutchman needs to do is outscore Charles Leclerc by 8 points and Sergio Perez by 6 points, so a win with the fastest lap will do it.
It’s not been a very easy start to their weekend – it took place under wet conditions of course, but the feeling was good, according to Leclerc: “FP1 was fun! FP2, no tyres left, so less fun. But overall it was quite a good day, the feeling with the car is good, we just need to put everything together tomorrow, but the feeling is good, so that’s positive.”
Charles Leclerc finished third in FP1 and a much lower 11th in FP2. He added: “FP2 was very, very difficult because the tyres were just completely done, but there’s plenty to learn from today for the race especially, so it’s a positive Friday and let’s see tomorrow, because conditions will change a lot, so FP3 will be all about adapting to those new conditions as quickly as possible and let’s see what possible.”
Carlos Sainz: ‘Red Bull are quick everywhere with the package they have now’
Carlos Sainz finished second in FP1, behind Fernando Alonso, and sixth in FP2, some 1.2 seconds off the pace of George Russell, who topped the session. The Spaniard had a surprisingly disappointing race in Singapore and struggled for long periods. As such, he was happy to get some more wet running in Suzuka.
The Ferrari driver said: “Not ideal, but at least the conditions were pretty consistent out there today when it was wet; that allows you to do a couple of tests that we never get to run in these conditions.” as per Formula 1’s official website.
Sainz loves wet running, feeling that there’s always something to learn. After the disappointing race last time out, he felt it was important for him to gather rhythm again: And he definitely did that, saying that: “I was quick and I was back at home again.”
He feels it might be a close affair between them and Red Bull: “I think Red Bull are quick everywhere: wet, dry, slow, fast circuits, straights, slow-speed [corners]. They are quick everywhere with the package they have now. But we are also very quick, so it will be a matter of who nails the weekend and who has that last-tenth, two-tenths advantage over the others.”
Ferrari have not won the Japanese Grand Prix since Michael Schumacher last did so in 2004, even if they had taken pole position there last time out. With Red Bull’s current form, it will be hard, but if a victory comes – for either driver, then it is surely a cause for celebration.
Also Read: “Only by merit, not as a social message”: Charles Leclerc opines on entry of women in Formula 1
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Aniket Tripathi
(1002 Articles Published)