Ferrari driver Leclerc appeared to have the potential to beat Perez and presumably even threaten eventual pole winner Verstappen for high spot, however surprisingly climbed out of his SF-23 forward of the second and last runs.
This, he and Ferrari claimed, was a tactic to save a set of brand-new soft tyres to make use of in the beginning of Sunday’s race, which they hope will present extra grip off the road after which even have higher tyre degradation throughout the opening stint, an element Ferrari struggled with in 2022.
When requested by Autosport to make clear simply how a lot profit Ferrari felt its Q3 techniques would offer, Leclerc mentioned it might be “a bit extra grip. That is [it]”.
“I do not know if it will likely be a game-changer,” he continued.
Sitting alongside Leclerc in the identical post-qualifying press convention, Verstappen responded to the subject by explaining, “I’ve one set with solely an out-lap [completed], so it needs to be OK”, with Perez nodding his settlement to the Dutchman’s proper.
In qualifying’s opening phase, the Pink Bull drivers progressed with a single timed lap, set after two items of Leclerc’s left-front wheel cowl fairing fell off as he started an preliminary run on the medium Pirelli rubber and triggered a short red-flag stoppage.
However Verstappen and Perez did later emerge for a second time in Q1, popping out proper on the finish of the phase and finishing an out-in cycle, which implies the calmly cured rubber ought to nonetheless final for a very long time in the beginning of the race.
Pink Bull might select to make use of one other compound in any case, however the optimum race technique is regarded as a two-stopper beginning on the softs and switching to the hards, given the Bahrain observe’s abrasive floor.
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing RB19
Photograph by: Erik Junius
Leclerc was additionally requested if the info Ferrari had logged in testing and Friday’s FP2 session in Bahrain had supplied any tangible encouragement relating to enchancment on the tyre degradation weak point it typically confirmed in comparison with Pink Bull in 2022.
He mentioned: “I feel we improved our technique of all through the race attempting to handle these tyres extra” however feels “if I look in FP2 we’re nonetheless fairly a bit slower than Pink Bull by way of tempo and tyre degradation”.
“So, we nonetheless have to see tomorrow and see the place we’re precisely,” he added. “But when we deal with ourselves, sure, I really feel like we have now executed a step forwards. However I am undecided it is sufficient.”
In Friday’s FP2 session, Ferrari was tracked averaging over half a second slower every time than Pink Bull throughout a race-like stint on the softs, with Aston Martin additionally forward of the crimson staff on this space too in FP2.
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This led Leclerc to conclude Ferrari must “be sensible” about its possibilities of beating Pink Bull to the Bahrain victory, regardless of getting nearer than many – together with Leclerc himself – had anticipated in qualifying for the season opener.
“These guys and in addition Aston Martin appears to be actually, actually fast within the race, which is why I feel we made that alternative in Q3 to be keen to lose one or two positions in the beginning however having new tyres to place all the probabilities on our facet,” Leclerc defined.
“Which I am positive is the best alternative, however let’s examine tomorrow.”
