Leclerc's Admission: Comparing McLaren and Ferrari Performances

Sep.20 - Ferrari showed strong form in Baku after Friday practice, with Lewis Hamilton especially upbeat following his best day in red so far. However, Saturday was a tough one for the team.

"After the summer, Hamilton has taken a different approach," Ferrari ambassador Marc Gene told Sky Italia at the Azerbaijan GP.

"He feels more comfortable with the car, he no longer demands anything or complains, he is at one with it. And this shows on the track, where he is faster and more confident."

Both Ferraris looked competitive on Friday, raising questions about podium potential or even a win. However, bad execution in qualifying with Hamilton and a crash by Leclerc in Q3 have derailed the team's hopes.

"Dreaming is not a good thing, we just have to focus on ourselves," team boss Frederic Vasseur insisted on Friday.

He warned against reading too much into the data. "What are long runs of three to five laps worth?"

Seven time world champion Hamilton, who earlier this season had branded himself "useless," said it was "my best Friday practice" with Ferrari.

"I'm just so grateful that everyone in the team keeps pushing and supporting me. The patience and help everyone at the track and at the factory gives me strength," said the 40-year-old. However, Saturday brought a Q2 exit.

Teammate Charles Leclerc was more reserved, calling the Friday pace "good".

Now, they will start the race in 10th and 12th place.

"But there's a big 'but' - McLaren seems to be from another planet," he said. "Some people will be very surprised tomorrow. Norris couldn't complete some laps that looked very impressive." Still, McLaren had some issues in qualifying and could not put their cars near the top.

At Red Bull, Dr Helmut Marko said Max Verstappen could have matched McLaren's Friday pace without a mistake. "Realistically, we're one to one and a half tenths behind the best time," he admitted.

Verstappen himself agreed: "It wasn't bad at all. The car feels good, which is positive."

Marko added: "We can prove here that Monza wasn't an isolated incident.

"We've definitely taken a step forward there."

Norris, meanwhile, laughed off Red Bull's low-key start. "Red Bull is never good on Friday. They go to bed, wake up the next morning, and then they're just fast again."

On Saturday, Verstappen qualified on Pole in a session that was interrupted many times due to crashes and offs. Championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed in Q3, as did another pole candidate in Charles Leclerc. The McLarens will start seventh (Norris) and ninth (Piastri).

About the author

Victor R.

Victor R. López is a Venezuelan journalist from Tumeremo who focuses on Formula 1 and motorsport. He covers driver news, race weekends and key stories from across the sport for F1-Fansite.com.

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