Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur insists he is not worried by Charles Leclerc’s form after a disappointing qualifying session in Suzuka.
Leclerc could only qualify in eighth for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix with his team-mate Carlos Sainz again outshining him.
Sainz reminded everyone of his qualities last time out in Australia when he sped to victory following Max Verstappen’s retirement.
But the Spaniard will leave Ferrari at the end of the season to be replaced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur says he has no concerns over Charles Leclerc
Sky Sports/Getty
Sainz has finished ahead of Leclerc in the two previous races he has entered in 2024, missing the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendix surgery.
He qualified in fourth on Saturday, four places ahead of Leclerc, with Max Verstappen again on pole.
Leclerc was bemused at his lack of pace, saying over the team radio: “That’s the best that I can do honestly I don’t get it.”
Vasseur has no concerns over the 26-year-old but says ‘he knows’ where he can improve.
He told Sky Sports: “I’m not at all [worried]. Charles was P2 [in Australia] last week and I think that 18 drivers on the grid would have expected to be P2 last week.
“Today he’s one-tenth off Carlos, he knows perfectly where he needs something.
“For now it was more lap one, Q1 than something else.
“The season is long and I’m not worried at all about the situation.”
Leclerc admitted he was unable to find the answer to Ferrari’s lack of pace but hopes it was a one-off.
He told Sky Sports: “It’s one of those sessions maybe you get it once in a season. But it’s definitely not a good feeling.
“Everything feels ok, the balance is not way off, we can always improve a little bit but that’s like every qualifying.
“If I rely on the feeling at the end of the lap then I’m like ‘This is a good lap’ and then you look at the board and you’re a second off.
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Charles Leclerc could only qualify eighth for the Japanese Grand Prix
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“When this happens normally we look more at the tyres and the way you bring the tyres to temperature.
“I tried many different things today and it didn’t work. For now I don’t have the answer.
“However, the positive thing, if we have to find one, is that our race pace looks to be a bit stronger.
“But on a track like this, qualifying position is really important and today we didn’t do a good job.”
Charles Leclerc was at a loss as to why his Ferrari did not have the pace
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Sainz finished behind McLaren’s Lando Norris in qualifying, with Sergio Perez seven hundredths of a second behind Red Bull team-mate Verstappen.
Fernando Alonso qualified in fifth, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton.
George Russell endured his worst qualifying of the season so far and will start the race in ninth ahead of home favourite Yuki Tsunoda.
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