Ferrari junior Leclerc expects tough F1 practice debut with Haas

The 18-year-old Monegasque won at Silverstone on his debut outing in the Formula 3 European Championship last season, but he believes its characteristics will make life in an F1 car difficult.

It will be the first of five free practice outings for Leclerc, the current GP3 Series leader, who will also substitute for Esteban Gutierrez on Friday morning at the German, Hungarian, Malaysian and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.

"I feel positive that I know the track," Leclerc told Autosport, "but it's a really difficult track with really high-speed corners.

"With Formula 1, the most different part compared to all the other categories is the speed of these corners, and it will be a challenge for me in a session of just an hour and a half to be on the pace on a track like this, because it's a really technical track.

"But we'll see - I'll give the best of myself."

Although Leclerc has been linked for some time with a possible race seat at the Haas-Ferrari squad for 2017, he said the Friday call-up was not expected so soon in the season.

"Yeah of course - it was a surprise," he said.

"But it's good for me - I will enjoy so much being there and it's always good to be in a Formula 1 car.

"As a driver you always search to be as quick as you can, but of course I will focus as well to give the best feedback to the team.

"They are here to give me experience and I thank them for that, and I will try to help them."

Leclerc, who achieved the requisite mileage for a free-practice superlicence in May when he drove a 2014-spec Ferrari at Fiorano, predicts that the six hours between his F1 practice duties and GP3 free practice will minimise any effect on his title aspirations in the junior series, which he is contesting with ART Grand Prix.

"Well, I think in the first few laps obviously I will have to readapt to GP3 because from a Formula 1 car they are two really different categories, especially on brakes - that will be the biggest thing to adapt to after the F1 car.

"But it should be fine. I can look back at the videos and get back in the GP3 ambience - I prefer this than just one hour between the two sessions!"