Charles Leclerc: "I push 105% in qualifying. Sometimes it doesn't work, but I won't change this mentality"

03/08/2024 21:33

The flying lap
In these five and a half years with the Ferrari team, fans of the Prancing Horse have come to know Charles Leclerc. A talented driver who always tries to give everything, even at the risk of pushing beyond the limits of his car. One of the 26-year-old Monegasque’s strengths is certainly his performance in terms of qualifying pace, as evidenced by the 25 pole positions that make him the second-best Ferrari driver of all time behind Michael Schumacher with 58.

Charles Leclerc’s achievement – matured between 2019 and mid-2024 – becomes even more significant when compared to the number of poles obtained by his teammates at Ferrari in the same period, only 7: two for Sebastian Vettel and five for Carlos Sainz.

Charles Leclerc’s mentality
In a recent interview with the Belgians of Rtbf, Charles Leclerc spoke about his approach to qualifying: “I don’t know if I’m the fastest on the flying lap, but you have to believe it 200% once you put on the helmet. Confidence is crucial at the wheel of an F1 car.” – he pointed out. The Monegasque then explained that he often pushes himself beyond his limits: “I believe qualifying is one of my strengths. Sometimes it’s a problem because I can’t tell myself to drive at 95%. I’m more inclined to give 105% and see what happens. Sometimes it doesn’t work, and that hurts. But overall, I believe my mentality has brought more positive results than the opposite, and therefore I won’t change it for the rest of my career.” – the Ferrari driver concluded.

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