Charles Leclerc admitted he was feeling “bad” after Ferrari’s “annoying” rhythm left him and teammate Lewis Hamilton out of the Sprint Poles in Miami’s Grand Prix.
Leclerc qualified for the sixth Miami International Autodrome while he ended up more than three tenths of a second from Mercedes’s Antonelli chemistry, as the young Italian captivated Oscar Piastri of McLaren and Lando Norris to claim his Maiden F1 pole.
Leclerc had seemed to be making progress in recent weeks as he supported the successive conclusions of the fourth place with the first podium of the Ferrari season in the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix two weeks ago, but Monegasque was extremely disappointed after Friday’s action.
Asked how he felt about the qualification of the Sprint, Leclerc replied: “Bad. The newspaper was good, but the rhythm is not there at all, so it is a little annoying, but it is as it is now.
“I will try my best tomorrow to try to do something special with the beginning, but to be honest, there is not much room for improvement today. It was simply … This is the rhythm of the car.
“It is every corner, really, so it’s not like we are particularly weak in one kind of corner. Yes, slow speed seems to be a little more of our weakness, but it changes from one weekend to another, so it’s not just excellent.”
Hamilton: We just miss the speed
Hamilton has endured an extremely challenging start of his first campaign with Ferrari after his transfer to the Italian team after 12 years to Mercedes.
The only visible bright moment of the first five rounds of the world’s world champion came when he took the pole and won the opening of the year in China, but that moment has begun to look like a false dawn.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lewis Hamilton said he is working hard to adapt to Ferrari, and admitted that he even found his first six months with ‘tough’ Mercedes.
There was hope that Hamilton could once again shine in the sprint format in Miami, but the Britain was once more considerable outside Leclerc rhythm, with more than two tenths sharing them.
Hamilton said: “It was a better session. P1 was probably a little better, it was a little better, the car was a little nicer to drive. We just miss speed, but we just continue to work from there.”
The 40-year-old did not seem to feel sure that Ferrari could close the gap to the first leaders during the rest of the weekend.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Mercedes teen rookie, Kimi Antonelli makes F1 history, becoming Paul’s newest site, taking the Sprint Poles at GP Miami.
Asked if he can make progress in sprint. Hamilton replied, “Not really. I think all the cars ahead are faster. I don’t know what else to say.”
As for the improvements after Sprint went to the Grand Prix, qualifying later on Saturday, Hamilton added:
“There are always ideas. Whether they will be right or not … Certainly lessons need to be taken – changes located, how cars were behaved, there is definitely work to do to get speeds going to the rest of the weekend.”
Miami’s GP program of Sky Sports F1
Saturday May 3
- 3.20 Afternoon: Qualification of Academy F1
- 4 Afternoon: Miami GP Sprint (Race starts at 5pm)
- 6.30 Afternoon: Notebook Sprint Ted
- 7.50 Afternoon: F1 Academy 1 Race 1
- 8.35 Afternoon: Miami GP Construction Qualification **
- 9 Afternoon: Miami GP Qualification*
- 11:00: TED Qualifying Notebook **
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Look at some of the most dramatic moments that have taken place around Miami’s international autodrom.
Sunday 4 May
- 6 Afternoon: F1 Academy 2 Race 2
- 7.30 Afternoon: Grand Prix Sunday: Miami GP Construction*
- 9 Afternoon: Miami’s Grand Prix **
- 11:00: Control Flag: Miami’s GP reaction*
- Midnight: TED notebook
*Also live in Sky Sports Main event
Formula 1 is in Miami for a Sprint weekend, see all directly Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – without contract, cancel at any time
