Leclerc relieved to have found rhythm in the race in Qatar

It's hard to be happy with just eighth place when you're a driver Ferrari, and yet, at the heart of a season of restructuring and more particularly in Qatar, a complicated qualifying session, the performance was far from obvious. However, this is what he managed to achieve Charles Leclerc this Sunday, at the end of a solid and controlled race, which allows, coupled by the P7 to Carlos Sainz, to once again take valuable points against McLaren.

“Being eighth doesn't really have any special flavor. »

Two races from the end of a thrilling 2021 season at all levels, Ferrari may have made the definitive break against the English rival from Woking. With nearly 39 points ahead, third place in the constructors' championship seems to be promised to the Maranello team, thanks to a well-conducted second part of the season. This Sunday, the two Scuderia drivers, Sainz and Leclerc, showed their voice, once again, thanks to their seventh and eighth place at the finish.

Not easy, however, when we look back at the qualifying session the day before for Charles Leclerc. Starting thirteenth on the starting grid after changing chassis during the night, the Monegasque provided the essentials, in order to slip, discreetly but surely, into the top 10 at the finish.

“The feeling was much better today [Sunday], explains Charles Leclerc at a press conference. Here [SATURDAY] in qualifying, I really didn't feel like I was in it. During the race it was much better. From the start I felt it, even if the race was quite tricky, starting from thirteenth position, behind a group of several cars during the first stint. »

“During the second, I was able to find a little clean air, to control my pace and my race a little more, and there it was much more solid, even if I had to manage my tires to get there. at the end. But overall, the rhythm was really there. It's a shame to have come so far away in the first place. I'm happy with the pace of the race, but not really to finish in eighth place, because P8 doesn't really have any particular flavor. »

Good recovery today.
And what a job again by the mechanics for the chassis change and the double pit stop. Now time to rest a bit before the next race! pic.twitter.com/yfzwjpAr0L

- Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) November 21, 2021

As confirmed by Mattia Binotto, the team principal of the team, the cracked chassis, which was therefore replaced between the qualifying session and the race by another with the same specifications, will be repaired before the next Grand Prix (December 5 at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia), and will act as a reserve chassis. It can obviously be used in the event of a new problem detected on one of the two cars, during the last two races of the season.