Charles Leclerc feels hopeful coming into the Japanese Grand Prix, despite Ferrari’s lack of further performance for him to unlock.
Charles Leclerc hopes to spring a “surprise” at the Japanese Grand Prix after upgrades to his Ferrari have made him feel “a lot more at ease” in the vehicle.
The Monegasque driver qualified fourth fastest at Suzuka, a position where he has won his last two grand prix.
While teammate Lewis Hamilton battled and will start seventh, Leclerc believed he couldn’t have done much more in qualifying to overcome the McLarens and Max Verstappen.
“I think the lap was actually really, really good,” he told Sky Sports F1 later. “I placed everything on that lap. “There wasn’t much I could have done better.”
The SF-25 provided further comfort in this regard. The 27-year-old said that set-up tweaks to the car have allowed him to get the most out of the present package.
“I made a lot of changes to my race pace over the weekend,” Leclerc told the journalists.
“I’m in a totally different place than I was at the start of the season, and I’m much more comfortable with the vehicle. So, perhaps, it will surprise us in a positive manner.”
Leclerc: ‘I can be at 100 percent of the vehicle more often’
However, the eight-time grand prix champion believes there isn’t much more speed that can be extracted from the Ferrari at the present.
“I’m finding answers on what I need, which is good already, but that’s not unlocking so much performance,” he added. “But I can definitely be in full control of the automobile more often.
“And I’m certain that this will give me the confidence I need to move on in the season, but the performance and general grip will remain the same, and I can’t alter that.
“Hopefully, with the upgrades that we’ll have during the season, it will help us to close the gaps to the guys in front.”
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