Charles Leclerc was unable to pull off a surprise for Ferrari fans in Monza on Saturday. The Monegasque secured the fourth starting position for the Italian GP, behind Max Verstappen and both McLaren drivers. Leclerc expressed some disappointment afterwards, although he had anticipated this outcome. He hopes to do something ‘special’ on Sunday for the many tifosi cheering him on, though he is aware that a tough race awaits him.
“Of course I’m disappointed, but on the other hand, I’m not surprised,” Leclerc responded after the qualifying round on F1TV. “It was always going to be very difficult to compete for the top positions. We knew in advance that Red Bull and McLaren would be faster than us this weekend. Unfortunately, that proved to be the case this afternoon. Especially in a qualifying round like this, there’s just not much more you can do. My fast lap was fine, but that was the limit.”
“I hope I can still make a difference tomorrow,” Leclerc continued. “Overtaking will be a significant challenge, but if we can stay within DRS range of the guys in front of us, hopefully we can do something special. Either way, it’s going to be a tough race,” he concluded pragmatically.
