Leclerc seeks answers after ‘big surprise’ of Ferrari performance swing in Austin Qualifying

Charles Leclerc was surprised by Ferrari’s pace in Qualifying at the United States Grand Prix, as he and team mate Lewis Hamilton secured third and fifth places for Sunday's race.

Ferrari had struggled for pace in Austin prior to Qualifying, with Leclerc and Hamilton enduring disappointing Sprint Qualifying sessions on Friday, finishing P10 and P8 respectively. The pair then went on to gain ground in Saturday's Sprint largely by avoiding the chaos of Turn 1 as the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri crashed out after being caught up in a multi-car incident.

However, the situation turned around for Grand Prix Qualifying as the Scuderia were a constant threat at the top of the time sheets, leaving Leclerc scratching his head after sealing third on the grid.

“It was quite a big surprise, especially considering the weekend that has been very difficult for us since the beginning,” he said.

“We tried to put everything together in Qualifying, we managed to do so, but I think there are still things that we need to understand from this car, because there is a bit too much of a swing in performance across the same weekend without fundamentally changing the car, so we will look into it.”

Taking confidence from Ferrari often showing stronger pace in Grands Prix compared to Qualifying, Leclerc conceded that he will need to make progress early if he is to maximise the potential of the SF-25.

“I think everything will be down to the start and having free air,” he said. “If we are behind other cars after Turn 1, it is going to be tough. If we are in front of everybody, it is going to be easier, so flat out into Turn 1 tomorrow.”

Leclerc's team mate Hamilton is the most successful driver at the Circuit of The Americas with five wins – the last of which came in 2017.

After battling through a difficult first year with Ferrari, the seven-time World Champion is yet to stand on a Grand Prix podium in his new colours, something which he hopes to change on Sunday.

“It’s the closest I’ve been in God knows how long,” said Hamilton. “It’s taken me forever. It’s not for the lack of trying, but I’m going to give it absolutely everything to try and get there tomorrow.”

Ferrari is engaged in a finely poised battle with Mercedes and Red Bull for the Teams' Championship. With Max Verstappen on pole and both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli qualifying inside the top seven, Sunday is likely to provide another tense chapter in this fight.