Leclerc Details Ferrari's Tyre Gamble Following Spanish GP Qualifying

Charles Leclerc finished Saturday's Spanish Grand Prix qualifying session in seventh place, a result he attributed primarily to a strategic choice regarding tyre allocation that limited his available new soft sets during the crucial sessions. The Monegasque driver explained after qualifying that Ferrari had opted for a different tyre strategy compared to many of their rivals, entering the session with only four sets of new soft tyres, while others possessed five. This decision significantly impacted his run plan throughout qualifying. In Q1, Leclerc was required to use one of his precious new soft sets to ensure progression. This further reduced his allocation, leaving him with only two new sets for Q2 and Q3 combined. As a result, he was only able to complete a single flying lap in the final qualifying segment (Q3) on fresh soft tyres. His sole effort in Q3 was sufficient for seventh on the grid. In contrast, his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who qualified fifth, was able to complete two timed laps in Q3 on new soft tyres, having seemingly benefited from a different or less constrained tyre plan. Leclerc acknowledged that the choice was a calculated risk, anticipating a challenging qualifying session as a consequence of the limited new soft tyre availability. However, he expressed hope that this strategic sacrifice would yield benefits during Sunday's race. The decision to save soft tyre sets for qualifying implies Ferrari has a more favourable allocation of medium and hard compound tyres available for the Grand Prix distance, potentially offering strategic flexibility or durability advantages over competitors who used more softs on Saturday. Despite the lower-than-hoped-for grid position, Leclerc remains optimistic about Ferrari's prospects for the race. He highlighted that their long-run pace appeared strong during practice sessions and believes their different tyre selection could prove advantageous over the race distance, allowing them to mount a strong challenge and potentially recover positions from seventh on the grid. The effectiveness of this qualifying gamble will ultimately become clear as the Spanish Grand Prix unfolds.