Charles Leclerc fumes at Ferrari mistake in Japan: ‘What are we doing?’

Charles Leclerc was in a state of bemusement prior to qualifying in Japan on Saturday, questioning his Ferrari team’s run-plan at the end of the final practice session.

Leclerc is four points off championship leader Max Verstappen heading into this weekend in Suzuka, following two podiums in the first three races.

Yet on early evidence, Ferrari cannot match the pace of Red Bull this weekend in Japan, with Leclerc unhappy at the Scuderia’s strategy at the end of the third practice session.

Leclerc failed to get a second “push lap” in at the end and was angry that his team kept him in the garage for too long at the end of the one-hour session.

“Honestly, I don’t get it,” Leclerc said over the team radio. “What are we doing to stay in the garage? Oh my god!

“It’s FP3, we have two laps. Two laps. Let’s be on it, come on!”

Things didn’t improve for the Monegasque driver in qualifying, struggling for performance throughout the session, and he will start Sunday’s race only eighth on the grid – four spots behind team-mate Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc has often been frustrated at his team in the past, most memorably at his home race in Monaco in 2022 when a botched pit stop ruined his chances of victory.

“It’s one of those sessions which you get once in a season, it’s not a good feeling,” he said after qualifying.

“We can always improve like every qualifying. If I rely on the feeling at the end of the lap, it’s a good lap but then you look at the [leader]board.

“I’ve tried many different things today but it didn’t work, I don’t have the answer. On a track like this, qualifying position is extremely important. We didn’t do a good job. From Q1 to Q3, it wasn’t a strong session. We’ve got to look into it.

“Race-pace looks strong, I hope we have the opportunity to overtake [on Sunday]. It’s going to be difficult to overtake, I’ll do my best and see.”

Leclerc is wearing a special helmet this weekend in memory of his godfather Jules Bianchi, the former F1 driver who died in 2015 as a result of injuries sustained at the Japanese Grand Prix 10 years ago.

Max Verstappen took his fourth pole position out of four races this season, with Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in second and McLaren’s Lando Norris lining up third on the grid.