Charles Leclerc was left dissatisfied after lacking out on pole for the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, with the Ferrari driver starting to imagine it was attainable.
Leclerc fell 0.262s shy of Lando Norris in Qualifying after setting the early tempo in Q3 on the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Saturday.
Though Leclerc had been on the tempo throughout the weekend and topped Free Follow 1, he had been sad with the stability of his Ferrari, complaining of a scarcity of grip – a theme that continued into Qualifying.
However a storming effort in Q3 launched the Monegasque onto provisional pole for Sunday’s 71-lap race, earlier than a shocking ultimate lap from Norris ended up pipping him to high spot.
“This Qualifying could be very, very troublesome as a result of there’s little or no grip, so the automotive is sliding loads,” he stated after the session. “In an effort to put every little thing collectively, it is very tough, however I am fairly pleased with the job we have finished.”
Leclerc added: “There’s part of me that’s nonetheless a little bit bit dissatisfied, as a result of after I noticed in Q3 that I used to be P1 with a superb lap, I used to be like ‘okay, perhaps then I can imagine in being on pole’. However in the long run, [Norris] did an incredible job, and an incredible lap on the finish.
“He improved massively from the primary to the second run in Q3, and I’m pleased with the way it went.”
Leclerc is aiming to safe back-to-back podiums for the primary time since Monaco and Spain, and vowed to provide it his all initially on Sunday, regardless of the probability that he shall be with no tow on the long term to Flip 1.
“There shall be a whole lot of deal with the beginning,” he defined. “The run to Flip 1 could be very lengthy, and we’ve obtained to do the absolute best begin. I want I used to be P3 for the beginning, as a result of at the least you get a little bit little bit of slipstream.
“I most likely received’t have any slipstream in entrance of me, and I’m beginning on the soiled facet of the observe. However I’ll deal with what I can management and attempt to do the very best from the place we begin, which hopefully, shall be sufficient to take the lead into Flip 1.”
