Charles Leclerc Faces Challenges in Mexico City GP Qualifying, Hopes for Strong Race Pace

Charles Leclerc is gearing up for the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix after a challenging qualifying session that saw him secure the fourth position on the grid. Despite his struggles, Leclerc remains optimistic about his race pace, which he believes could be a decisive factor in the upcoming race.

Leclerc’s qualifying was marred by issues with low downforce, a characteristic of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit due to its high altitude. He admitted to struggling with grip since the second free practice session and had a particularly difficult moment in Q3 when he lost control of his car at Turn 10 while pushing for a competitive lap time.

“I’m disappointed, but I’m not surprised,” Leclerc said, reflecting on his qualifying performance. “I was struggling and not feeling well since FP2 with the car. That’s the way it is. In Q3, the lap was coming very nicely until Turn 10 where I lost the car, but I had to take those risks just because I didn’t have the pace.”

Despite these challenges, Leclerc is confident in the race pace of his Ferrari SF-24. He noted that the car is optimized more for race pace than for a single qualifying lap, which gives him hope for a strong performance on Sunday. Leclerc also referenced his recent victory at the United States GP, where he started fourth and managed to take the lead at the start, suggesting that a similar outcome could be possible in Mexico City.

However, Leclerc acknowledged the unique challenges of the Mexico City circuit, including significant engine overheating and the difficulty of overtaking. “Here in Mexico, there’s a lot of overheating for the engines, for everything. Whenever you are P4 then you’ve got to manage all these things and it makes it a lot more difficult to come back,” he explained.