The Monegasque became the first non-Red Bull driver to take a pole in 2023 with a superb effort to beat 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen by 0.188s during Friday qualifying in Baku. 

Having set an identical time to world championship leader Verstappen on their first Q3 runs, Leclerc improved wit🌜h a 1m40.203s to pip the Dutchman and secure his third pole in a row at the high-speed street circuit. 

Leclerc, who famously labelled himself “stupid” for crashing out of qualifying in Azerbaijan in 2019, admitted he briefly 🔯thought he was going to repeat his error. 

“The wall was, like… 🦋I thought I would crash in that moment,” Leclerc told Sky after qualifying. 

“I thought the rear wheel would touch much more but I think I just brushed the wal🃏l, which was per꧙fect. 

“Turn 2 was then how I wanted to do the corner. From what I remember from this lap, there’s not much I would do differently. I 🍬🤪put all of my best corners in it. 

“The lap before I was not happy. The wind changed and I had to anticipate the turn more. I fo𝕴cused on that. If you miss the apex, you lose a lot of time.” 

It marked some much-needed relief forꦡ Leclerc after his worst start to a season with Ferrari in the first three races of the campaign. 

The 25-year-old has also had to 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:bat away rumours he has held talks ꦺwith Mercedes about potentially replacing168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Lewis Hamiltonꦡ amid Ferrari’s miserable start to the year. 

“It’s good for the team, especialꦬly in a momentᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ like this,” Leclerc continued. 

“The firs🧸t three races haven’t been easy. We were very unlucky in the first two. Then the incident in the last race.

“And all the rumours around the team too coming here…𝓰♉ So it’s good to be back on pole.

“But we also need to remain realistic. 🔥We are a step behind Red Bull in the race, but I’ll do everything I can.”