Breaking news
Formula 1 Tuscany GP
Leclerc: Filming day to thank for promising FP1 position
Charles Leclerc put his "surprise" third-place finish in opening practice for the Tuscan Grand Prix down to Ferrari's prior track experience at Mugello.
Luke Smith
Edited: Sep 11, 2020, 7:46 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Following two difficult race weekends at Spa and Monza that saw Ferrari fail to score any points, Leclerc was a surprise name near the top of the timesheets in first practice on Friday.
The Monegasque driver finished opening practice third fastest, trailing pace-setter Valtteri Bottas by just three tenths of a second.
But Leclerc dropped to 10th in second practice, with teammate Sebastian Vettel finishing two places further back in 12th.
Asked about Ferrari's promising showing in FP1, Leclerc said he thought it was a result of the filming day the team had completed at Mugello in June, which meant it did not have to spend the first session learning the track like other teams.
"It was positive, but on the other hand, when it's going positive, we need to understand why," Leclerc said.
"To be honest, it was a bit of a surprise for everyone.
"I have my personal opinion: we have done a filming day which helped us to get in a rhythm of the track, as for all the other drivers, it was a new track.
"So maybe this helped us a little bit. But in FP2 it was more where we expected to be.
"I believe that it's all very close, and I believe that we can do a step, a positive step forward tomorrow. I have some optimism."
Both Leclerc and Vettel had spins during second practice on Friday at Mugello, while Vettel then suffered a loss of power that forced him to park up at the side of the track after the chequered flag had ended the session.
Vettel said the Ferrari SF1000 car felt like "quite a handful" around Mugello, and that there was work for the team to do ahead of qualifying on Saturday.
"It's a nice track, obviously nice scenery, and you enjoy that a lot," Vettel said. "Obviously it's quite brutal on tyres, so you get one lap and then it's quite different after that. It's definitely fun to drive.
"We're working on it, and I still think we have plenty of work ahead to try and improve it. We'll see. I'm not happy yet, but it's Friday and that's what Fridays are for.
"I think we can make [the car] better, but it will be a fight, so obviously it's quite a tough circuit in terms of needing the balance that you would like from the car.
"I'm sure we will find some small bits."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Perez handed one-place grid penalty for Raikkonen crash
Next article PMI joins Scuderia Ferrari in celebrating its 1000th Grand Prix
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Luke Smith
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
Formula 1
Formula 1
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Formula 1
Formula 1
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
More from
Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc admits he missed a chance against Max Verstappen – but not the obvious one
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Charles Leclerc admits he missed a chance against Max Verstappen – but not the obvious one
Why Charles Leclerc failed to outbrake Max Verstappen in Turn 1 at Singapore GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Why Charles Leclerc failed to outbrake Max Verstappen in Turn 1 at Singapore GP
More from
Scuderia Ferrari
Charles Leclerc and Pecco Bagnaia: From kings to princes
MotoGP
MotoGP
Charles Leclerc and Pecco Bagnaia: From kings to princes
Sainz blasts "most unfair penalty ever", seeks stewards' explanation
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Sainz blasts "most unfair penalty ever", seeks stewards' explanation
Calado: "Difficult" for WEC Hypercar newcomers "to win straight off"
WEC
WEC
Calado: "Difficult" for WEC Hypercar newcomers "to win straight off"
Latest news
Marc Marquez targeting “as close to 37 points as possible” at Aprilia-friendly Phillip Island
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
36 min
Marc Marquez targeting “as close to 37 points as possible” at Aprilia-friendly Phillip Island
Porsche's IMSA GTP programme set to end: Could Penske switch to Cadillac?
WEC
WEC WEC
Losail
50 min
Porsche's IMSA GTP programme set to end: Could Penske switch to Cadillac?
“It will be so sad” - MotoGP riders lament loss of Phillip Island
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
“It will be so sad” - MotoGP riders lament loss of Phillip Island
NASCAR explains why they penalized Zane Smith after latest clash with Carson Hocevar
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
16 h
NASCAR explains why they penalized Zane Smith after latest clash with Carson Hocevar
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe