High praise for Charles Leclerc in Italian press after P4 in qualifying at Silverstone. High praise for Charles in Italian press after P4 in qualifying.

Scuderia Ferrari was ready for the format change at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. However, Carlos Sainz just missed out on a top five finish by less than two tenths, as compared to Charles Leclerc in the qualifying session at the Silverstone track. Even if a time so close to Charles Leclerc’s can certainly not be defined as disappointing, the Spanish driver had found a better time in Q2; while now he will start in the fifth row instead of in the second or third.

“So happy, as is Charles Leclerc. For a very simple reason, which he himself explained for a French TV channel: this is the best result that Ferrari could hope for. Just look at the ranking: the fantastic two in front, the always mistreated Valtteri Bottas third, 516 thousandths faster than Perez, then a big gap of half a second, then all the others. The first of these is the Monegasque Ferrari driver. You really couldn’t imagine doing more, on a strange and important Friday in the history of Formula 1. Charles was happy with how it went, he liked the format: there is a little less data analysis and maybe more instinct. Less satisfied, of course, Carlos Sainz, alongside Sebastian Vettel and behind George Russell: in fact it is not an exciting result. But we must also look at how it came about: six drivers in 179 thousandths, the Ferrari drivers at the two ends: five positions are worth a difference, three rows on the grid “, explains Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“In this unusual British weekend we must also register with satisfaction some good news, coming from the Ferrari front. In fact, as often happens to him, Charles Leclerc was superb in qualifying on Friday. He snatched a fourth place which makes yet another demonstration of his worth. Carlos Sainz’s performance was less brilliant. It remains to be understood what Ferrari’s performance will be in racing set-up, both on 100 km today and tomorrow. The relationship between the Maranello team’s car and the tires remains mysterious ”, writes Leo Turrini in the Resto del Carlino.