F1 News: The Ferrari star, 21, just couldn't get to grips with the Shanghai track throughout practice and the omens looked bad ahead of qualifying. The team made late changes to his car in a bid to give him some extra pace and it paid off. His time of 1:31.86 was good enough for fourth on the grid - a result Leclerc would have taken given the problems he's had to deal with. "I made a mistake in the last lap and I shouldn't have done that," he said. "Overall I think there are some positives on my sides as FP1, FP2 and FP3 I was quite lost. "I was struggling a little bit - actually quite a lot - and we made a final change for qualifying and it was better. "Overall I drove better and the lap time came but it was disappointing as I had the potential to do more today. "I will push to try and do the best tomorrow." Valterri Bottas took pole and Lewis Hamilton came second while Leclerc's team-mate Sebastian Vettel will start from third. It was Mercedes' 9th front row lockout and legend Johnny Herbert praised how Bottas and Hamilton had got going in Shanghai. "The way Mercedes have applied their method that has worked very, very well with that grip that they seem to have - we know their straightline speed is lacking - but it's the drivers," he said. "They've got the very best from the car. Both of them pushing each other has managed to help them stay ahead of Ferrari. I think it makes it brilliant for Sunday's race. "Overall we've got to say how well the drivers have been able to do what they've needed to do - especially Lewis as he was on the backfoot at the beginning of qualifying. "My my my, didn't he manage to do a good time in that last lap."
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