Charles Leclerc: Ferrari qualifying in China has exposed true gap to McLaren

Charles Leclerc admitted setbacks in qualifying for the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix exposed the true gap Ferrari has to pacesetters McLaren.

Leclerc’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton showed the Scuderia in resurgent form with pole and victory across the two Sprint sessions in Shanghai.

However, Saturday’s qualifying session showed Ferrari taking a step back as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took pole position.

Hamilton and Leclerc wound up fifth and sixth fastest, two and three-tenths back from polesitter Pirastri respectively.

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Leclerc judged that to be a true indication of Ferrari’s pace and Hamilton’s Sprint showcase was perhaps an anomalous result.

Instead, qualifying on Saturday put Ferrari in the middle of its below-par performance in Australia and Hamilton’s heroics.

“This afternoon I think the potential was just not there,” Leclerc said (via Autosport).

“The overall grip was just not there, and I think in Australia I felt like we didn’t do a great job in qualifying, and we were further away than what we thought but, if we had put everything together, I think we were expecting to be three tenths off.

“I think these three-tenths that we see today are generally where we are. Apart from Lewis did a great, great job yesterday, but I feel like today I did a good job. 

“I’m sure Lewis did a good job as well and that’s the potential of the car.

“Is there a little bit more in the car? Maybe. Three-tenths, I don’t think so. But we need to look forward to tomorrow.”

Leclerc maximised Ferrari potential on Saturday

Hamilton has stolen the plaudits so far for Ferrari in China with Leclerc playing second fiddle.

That was also the case in qualifying for Sunday’s main event with the Monegasque drive one place and one-tenth behind his new Scuderia running partner.

Still, Leclerc felt like he left everything on the table, highlighting the need for the team to understand its deficit to McLaren.

“Lewis did still a better job than I did, but I felt like I maximised on my side,” he said.

“I don’t think there was anything more. Being in front of Lewis or being behind, that doesn’t really matter, because as a team we start next to each other.

“As a team, I think we maximised the potential of the car, but the most important thing is that we understand where the potential of the car has gone because from this morning [in the Sprint], or from Sprint Qualifying, we were much faster compared to the others.

“I think yesterday maybe Lando [Norris] would have been a step ahead if he had finished his lap, but with other people we were more or less in line. 

“Today, even though it’s tight, we seem to be a bit more on the back foot, because I think both laps, Lewis’ and mine, weren’t that bad – it was pretty good. It’s the way it is.”

READ MORE – Charles Leclerc: Ferrari’s unlocked 2025 potential not enough to rival McLaren yet