Leclerc flies and Ferrari dreams, but Max is a shadow
Favorite yesterday after Friday, favorite now after the last free practice on Saturday morning in which measures are taken for pole (here times and where to see). Nobody like Charles Leclerc: he pushed from the first meter, drove in a divine way between the walls to close in the lead and attack the third pole start at his home where he has never reached the podium.
Ferrari clings to its little prince but he has to deal with the ghost of Verstappen. They expected him to return after a troubled start and so it was: second less than two tenths behind the Ferrari driver, which is a lot but means nothing. Because in qualifying Max can land the shot anyway, even if this Leclerc appears unplayable. But everything is decided in the end, as the Monegasque himself repeated yesterday. He sets off towards the solo mission with Sainz in clear difficulty despite some good performances. Carlos worked intermittently only to die at the end: seven tenths behind his teammate is an eternity, the seventh time too bad to be true.
Hamilton did much better than the Spaniard, so those on Friday weren’t flashes: Lewis third gives us hope and can be an “ally” of the Red team to stop the McLarens, growing but not yet enough: Piastri fourth and Norris eighth. Nods of reaction from Perez, Alonso returned to the mediocrity of Aston Martin with a tenth fastest time.
