Charles Leclerc reckons qualifying at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix might be “one of the difficult” of the 2026 System 1 season as drivers adapt to the brand new Madrid circuit.
The Madring has changed Barcelona because the host of the Spanish Grand Prix and it’s a high-commitment avenue circuit that includes 22 corners, together with the 13.5-degree banked La Monumental curve.
A number of drivers have spoken positively concerning the monitor after Friday apply, however the paddock is eagerly awaiting qualifying with George Russell labelling it as a “very excessive threat circuit”.
Leclerc, in the meantime, stated: “The monitor may be very thrilling. It is very thrilling, it’s extremely difficult, and it is a avenue monitor as properly.
“So these are the tracks that I usually fairly get pleasure from, and there isn’t any exception to that. It was very nice to be driving on this new monitor.
“There’s nonetheless lots of work to be completed, and I count on it to be one of the difficult qualifying classes of the yr, being such a dedication monitor.”
What occurs on Saturday is subsequently anticipated to be of extra significance than many different circuits resulting from Madrid’s tight nature and mixed brake-and-turn corners.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photograph by: Madring
“Qualifying is for positive going to be the important thing second of the weekend,” Leclerc added, “as a result of notably in FP2, I attempted to overhaul, however even with the big tempo delta, it was extraordinarily tough or inconceivable to overhaul.
“So many of the efficiency this weekend might be based mostly on the qualifying.”
It stays to be seen how Leclerc will fare although after he respectively completed third and second in FP1 and FP2, 0.459s and 0.113s off Mercedes pacesetters Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
“The sensation was fairly good, but it surely’s true that Mercedes appears to be sturdy,” stated the Ferrari driver.
“Nevertheless, we do not actually concentrate on what P1 says immediately [Friday], as a result of we do not know what the others are doing with their run plan for us.
“It was all about making an attempt to maximise laps on the brand new monitor, to try to make it possible for we’ve as many information as we wish, and for us to be additionally comfy with the monitor coming tomorrow in qualifying.
“However I feel we did a very good work immediately, and we’ll see tomorrow in qualifying.”
Photographs from F1 Spanish GP – Saturday
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