Level-headed Leclerc ready to adapt after promising Practice pace

Finishing his first-ever Formula 2 session in third, Arthur Leclerc was content with his pace after Practice. However, the DAMS driver isn’t getting ahead of himself, expecting to have to overcome a whole new challenge in Qualifying under the Sakhir floodlights.

Whilst the ART Grand Prix duo of Théo Pourchaire and Victor Martins led the way, the Monegasque driver kept well in touch of the pair– less than a tenth down on the Sauber Academy driver’s best efforts.

Coping well with the midday heat, Leclerc said he’s pleased with how he and his new team have adapted to the difficult conditions since pre-season testing a fortnight ago. However, the vastly different state of affairs in Qualifying mean that his strong pace in one session isn’t an automatic sign of things to come this evening.

“Everything was quite good, I’m happy with the car. Obviously, it’s still Free Practice. Now there’s Qualifying waiting at 7:30pm, so we just keep pushing.

“It’s really different from the Qualifying conditions because the track is really hot, and the grip is not the same. The track will evolve a lot, so obviously a good result in Free Practice doesn’t mean good results in Qualifying, but I’m feeling quite well with the car.

“We worked quite well during the pre-season tests and I feel quite well with the grip as well. Hopefully, we’ll be in the same way for Qualifying.”

Switching from one compound to another between sessions is always a challenge for even the most experienced of drivers. Trading his white-walled hard tyres for the red-walled soft compound for Qualifying, Leclerc believes that keeping his composure will be essential to navigating his first Qualifying session.

READ MORE: PRACTICE: Pourchaire heads up ART Grand Prix 1-2 in opening session of 2023

With the 30-minute session having the potential to set the tone for his opening weekend, the Ferrari Academy driver says that returning drivers could have the edge, particularly if events aren’t straightforward.

“I will first focus on me, then on the car and on the setup. These are the things you prepare for in Free Practice, so now the only thing I’m focused on is myself.

He added: “In my head, the goal will be always to win and to be P1, but I have to keep my head cool because I’m a rookie. Looking at all the experienced drivers that are on the grid, they’re all really good drivers so it’s a big challenge. I’m not putting any expectation on myself yet because it’s the first race, as it’s really difficult to situate ourselves, but obviously aiming for the best as possible.”