Ferrari duo forecast rain to cast uncertain shadow over Verstappen title charge
Ferrari duo forecast rain to cast uncertain shadow over Verstappen title charge
Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have both forecast wet weather for the Japanese Grand Prix that could yet rain on Max Verstappen's F1 title parade on Sunday.
Leclerc and Sainz start from second and third on the grid at Suzuka, with the former 0.010secs adrift of polesitter Max Verstappen, and the latter 0.054s down such was the close-knit nature of their qualifying scrap.
Verstappen, who can clinch his second title on Sunday with a race win combined with the fastest lap, is under investigation by the stewards after coming within inches of a collision with McLaren's Lando Norris in Q3.
Reflecting on where it got away from him to be so close to Verstappen, Leclerc said: "It's a very tricky lap around here because whenever you are fast in the first sector you lose out in the final sector, and I tried to find that balance in the last lap.
"But I lost the tyres a little bit in the last sector and lost a little bit of time.
"It's so close, though, with everyone, so that's nice and we will try and have a good race from there."
Looking ahead to the race, Leclerc added: "We have a very limited amount of data going into the race so that's always a challenge.
"But the feeling was good with the car so let's wait and see for the conditions. It seems as though it's going to rain a little during the race.
"It should be a fun race and hopefully we can give a good show tomorrow."
Rain could make things happen - Sainz
Like Leclerc, Sainz also lost out in the final sector as he said: "It was a very clean lap, a very good lap all the way until the last corner when I picked up quite a bit of wheelspin on my rear tyres.
"It's a shame to be half a tenth from pole. It's been so many qualis now with Max and Charles that we are always within half a tenth.
"And the last half a tenth tends to always fall to the other side [Leclerc]. Hopefully, over the end of the season, this half-a-tenth falls a bit more to my side and I get a pole position."
Sainz, though, will have one eye on the skies above Suzuka on Sunday, adding: "The weather is going to play its part.
"The rain is going to arrive, and I don't know if it's going to arrive at two o'clock, three or four, which is after the race, so there are plenty of things that could happen tomorrow.
"There is always a great opportunity starting in P3, I've managed to save a set of softs in case we need it, so we are in a good position to fight Max tomorrow."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 News Today: Vettel CONFIRMS stunning comeback as Red Bull boss issues Verstappen statement
- 1 hour ago
F1 manager reveals Piastri 'balance' challenge
- 2 hours ago
EXCLUSIVE: Hamilton engineer reveals top drivers' key characteristic
- 3 hours ago
Red Bull now pressured into MISTAKES insists F1 rivals as title race heats up
- Today 11:57
F1 fan celebrates Verstappen failure with OUTRAGEOUS permanent change
- Today 10:57
Wolff opens up on WHY Mercedes are 'very bad'
- Today 09:55
F1 Race Calendar
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
- GP JAPAN 5 - 7 Apr
- GP CHINA 19 - 21 Apr
- GP USA 3 - 6 May
- GP ITALY 17 - 19 May
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
Related news
Who is Ayumu Iwasa? The Red Bull junior replacing Daniel Ricciardo at F1 Japanese GP
Another F1 cornerstone race UNDER THREAT by street circuit bid
Shock plans for NEW F1 'street race' announced
Sainz admits 'laughing in the car' at Mercedes tactic
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860