Leclerc hopeful of Ferrari podium from 14th in Sao Paulo

Charles Leclerc remains optimistic about Ferrari's chances of fighting for a podium at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, despite starting Sunday's race from 14th after a ten-place engine penalty. He qualified fourth in wet conditions at Interlagos, with a lap time of 1:28.289, before the penalty dropped him down the grid.

Leclerc said the team used the penalty to experiment with different car configurations and settings during qualifying, and that the team learned a great deal. He expects those learnings to be useful in the race, where rain is predicted.

Team-mate Lewis Hamilton faces a more difficult start after smoke emerged from his car in FP3, forcing Ferrari to fit another new engine and leaving him at the back of the grid. Leclerc said the unpredictable weather could give the team an opportunity to recover positions.