Miami F1 News: Charles Leclerc Reveals Qualifying Issues Despite P2

Despite securing P2 in Miami GP qualifying, Charles Leclerc faced significant challenges with tire overheating.

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (16) after qualifying P2 / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Charles Leclerc secured the second position in the Miami GP Qualifying session, despite struggling with tire overheating.

The Monegasque's performance was compelling in the initial rounds of Qualifying, with a promising start in the Q1 and Q2 sessions suggesting a possible pole position. However, as the stakes heightened in Q3, the limits of Ferrari's SF-24 became apparent under Miami’s demanding conditions.

Leclerc commented in his post-qualifying interview:

"It felt so much on the limit.

"It was very close until Q3 where when we started to push for the last one or two tenths, we started to lose the tyres in sector two and three. Overheating them quite a bit."

This overheating issue perhaps cost Leclerc and Ferrari a shot at the pole, an aspect that didn’t go unnoticed in his strategy discussions. Recognizing the extended challenges of a full race distance under such conditions, Leclerc remains optimistic about the Grand Prix, leaning on the sprint session's data that showed competitive pace against Verstappen’s Red Bull. He continued:

"So today that's where we lost a bit of time. However, the race is long tomorrow, this morning [in the Sprint] we showed a good pace so I hope we can put Max under a bit more pressure.

"This, and keeping the DRS if we don't get past at Turn One. DRS is super powerful here and if we lose it after the first lap it's super difficult to come back without DRS. So we must not lose it.

"But first of all it will be the start. This morning we had a good one and tomorrow I'll try to have an even better one [tomorrow]."

Max Verstappen will start the Miami Grand Prix from pole position followed by Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz in second and third, respectively.