“Yeah, not a good day today.” These words echoed the disappointment in the voice of Charles Leclerc, as he reflected on the challenges he faced during the Belgian GP Sprint. Starting behind Carlos Sainz, he made a strategic decision to switch to intermediates at the right time, but fate had other plans. A slow pitstop further added to their woes, costing them valuable positions.

However, amidst the setbacks, there was a glimmer of hope as he declared, “We are starting on pole and I’ll obviously give everything.” With a fighting spirit, he looked forward to the next day’s race, hoping to leave behind the setbacks and clinch victory before the upcoming break.

In Leclerc’s own words:

“I was starting behind Carlos. It was the normal thing to do and the right thing to do to stop a lap later for the intermediates. That put us a bit on the back foot. But again it was the right thing to do. Then, unfortunately, we had a slow pitstop which made us lose a bit more positions.” 

Ferrari had a mixed performance in the Belgian Sprint Race, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. The result was not as good as expected, mainly due to traffic in the pit lane during the pit stops. The race encountered a delayed start due to heavy rain, pushing the start back by 30 minutes. All cars had to fit wet tires and followed the Safety Car for five laps to improve visibility by clearing standing water. When the rolling start was finally given, Sainz and Leclerc made their pit stops but got caught up in pit lane traffic, costing them several positions. They managed to move up a bit in the remaining laps, benefiting from penalties given to other drivers.

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Now the team is focused on tomorrow’s Grand Prix, where they will face 44 laps and uncertain weather conditions where Leclerc starts from pole position, and Sainz is fourth on the grid.

Charles Leclerc is Optimistic Amidst Red Bull Threat – Aiming for a Strong Finish at Belgian Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc, starting from pole position in the Belgian Grand Prix, believes Ferrari has a “good chance of a great result” on Sunday. However, he admits to Sky Sports he’s not confident about fending off the Red Bull drivers right behind him. Despite starting sixth, Verstappen, who won Saturday’s Sprint race and currently leads the championship, remains the favorite for the race as Leclerc secured pole position due to his grid penalty.

Leclerc, who has faced challenges this season compared to his strong performance last year, is eager for his first win and hopes to reach the podium for the third time this year. However, when asked about his chances of victory, he expressed some reservations, especially with two Red Bull drivers closely trailing. He acknowledged that the Red Bull team has a superior race car, making it challenging to keep them at bay.

While starting from pole position gives Ferrari a good opportunity for a strong finish, Leclerc remains realistic and cautious, saying that targeting a win might be overly optimistic. Nevertheless, he’ll be ready to seize any opportunity that comes his way during the race.

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