Leclerc on pole position at Le Castellet

At the end of qualifying at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, the Ferrari driver was 0,304 seconds ahead of Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull companion Sergio Perez. A big help for Leclerc on the way to his 16th pole position was Carlos Sainz, who gave his Ferrari teammate slipstream in the crucial qualifying segment.

“Without Carlos it would have been much tighter,” thanked Leclerc. Sainz was able to help him because the outcome of the qualification was irrelevant to him. The Spaniard and Haas driver Kevin Magnussen will start the race on Sunday from the back of the grid. For both drivers, several engine components were replaced beyond the permitted limit, as the FIA, the world automobile association, announced before the last free practice session in Le Castellet. This triggered the automatic mechanism with several starting rows back.

Carlos Sainz played a major role in Leclerc's strong performance. © APA/afp / ERIC GAILLARD

Sainz, who was fastest in training on Friday, had to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg two weeks ago due to engine failure. The drive unit suffered massive damage. In the last free practice session in France, world champion Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the Red Bull ahead of Sainz and Leclerc, who won the race in Spielberg.

There are several overtaking opportunities on the Circuit Paul Ricard. Therefore, Sainz and Magnussen don't have a bad chance of getting World Cup points, even from the back of the grid.

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Leclerc on pole position at Le Castellet

Monegasque Charles Leclerc took pole position at the French Grand Prix on Saturday.

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