F1: Leclerc takes Miami pole as Ferrari sweep front row – Gulf Digital News

F1: Leclerc takes Miami pole as Ferrari sweep front row – Gulf Digital News

MIAMI: Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc took pole position for the inaugural Miami Grand Prix ahead of Ferrari team mate Carlos Sainz in a front row lockout in qualifying on Saturday.

The pole was the Monegasque’s third in five races this season, and 12th of his career as well as the first time Ferrari had secured the top two grid positions since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen qualified third for Red Bull, after initially looking like he would take the top slot with the fastest first flying lap, with Mexican team mate Sergio Perez fourth.

“The last weekend hasn’t been great for me. I made a mistake in the race but today went well,” said Leclerc, who finished only sixth after a late spin in Ferrari’s home race at Imola in April.

“We are starting on pole and we need to finish the job tomorrow. They (Red Bull) are extremely quick in the straight lines, we are quick in the corners. It will be a tight challenge tomorrow,” added the 24-year-old.

Sainz’s front row slot, 0.190 of a second slower than Leclerc’s time of one minute 28.796 seconds, marked a strong return from the Spaniard after he crashed