“Red Bull's dominant performance in qualifying on Saturday at the Japanese Grand Prix showed they are in a different league,” Ferrari's Carlos Sainz said as he vowed to fight for a place on the podium in Sunday's race.
Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen took pole position just ahead of his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, with McLaren's Lando Norris third.
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Ferrari's Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who were among the fastest drivers on Friday, were unable to recover from a disappointing performance in final practice and will start fourth and eighth respectively.
Carlos Sainz is fourth in the championship, with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc four points behind Max Verstappen in second place. Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
“I hope we can fight with them in the race because that was impossible in qualifying. In the race it would be nice to fight for the podium. I think it should be an interesting fight for the podium,” Sainz told Sky Sport.
“Unfortunately, I think the Red Bulls are in a different league when it comes to rougher asphalt surfaces, medium and high speeds – they are just ahead when it comes to downforce.”
In qualifying two, Sainz struggled with a throttle problem, which the Spaniard said he tried to put it out of his mind. “It was just gentle pedaling. There was no risk.” [but] just this strange feeling.
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Sainz's teammate Leclerc, Verstappen's closest title rival and just four points behind the championship leader after three rounds, admitted he had a bad day at the office.
“We can always improve a little bit, but like in any qualifying, if I rely on the feeling at the end of the lap, I think, 'Okay, that's a good lap,' and then you look at the board and you look at yourself . “are a second off,” said Leclerc.
“The positive, if we have to find one, is that our race pace should be stronger, but on a track like this the qualifying position is extremely important. And today we didn’t do a good job.”
“I just hope we have the opportunity to overtake because on a track like this it will be very, very difficult to overtake, so I will do my best.”
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