'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Charles Leclerc shared that he couldn't find the right feeling in the car throughout qualifying which led to him having a poor final lap and subsequent low grid position. The Ferrari driver is often touted as one of the best qualifiers in F1, but in Australia, the driver claimed he was not comfortable in the car.
He was out-qualified by teammate Carlos Sainz, who had just come back from surgery and will start the race on the front row. Talking to the media afterward, Charles Leclerc shared that he never quite felt comfortable with the car. The wheels well and truly came off when Leclerc abandoned his final qualifying lap.
The driver qualified in P5 but will move up to P4 for the race after Sergio Perez's penalty. Talking to Sky Sports, Charles Leclerc said:
"I just didn’t find the right feeling today, for some reason. There was something already from FP3 that I could feel, but I told myself, ‘I’ll find the confidence again in qualifying,’ which most of the time that works, but today it didn’t."
He added:
"The front wasn’t as strong as I wanted and then on the last run I went very aggressive with the front wing and obviously we went on the other side. So a bit of a shame, but it’s like this."
Charles Leclerc's teammate Carlos Sainz reflects on a strong qualifying session
On the other side of the garage, Charles Leclerc's teammate, Carlos Sainz, had a brilliant run with Ferrari as he challenged for pole position throughout qualifying. The Spaniard was unable to put it together in the end but will start the race in P2 alongside Max Verstappen.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Sainz admitted that it wasn't easy coming back from surgery in such a short time. He said:
"It’s been a tough couple weeks, a lot of days in bed waiting for this moment to see if I could be here today. To make it to this weekend and then to put it on the front row after leading through qualifying, I was almost not believing it, especially after how tough it’s been. But very happy to be here, very happy to be challenging the Red Bulls this weekend."
With Sainz starting the race in P2 and Leclerc starting the race in P4, there is a decent opportunity for Ferrari to potentially put together a challenge for the win. It will, however, depend on how comfortable the drivers are with the car and if they can keep up with Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
