Leclerc 'annoyed with myself' for F1 Chinese GP qualifying mistakes

Having starred in the Bahrain GP, Leclerc trailed Vettel in all three practice sessions, but might have outqualified his team-mate but for a mistake in the corners leading to the back straight on his final Q3 run.

Leclerc expressed his frustration over the team radio after crossing the start/finish line at the end of his lap, raising his voice and repeatedly calling himself "fucking stupid".

Speaking after the session, Leclerc said: "I'm annoyed today, with myself. I did a mistake in the last lap and I shouldn't have done that."

He added: "I am [disappointed] because I think potential to be in top three was definitely there today.

"I did some mistakes on my fast lap in Turn 12/13, I went pretty wide, took a lot of understeer.

"Overall there was potential to do better but it's life, it's like this."

But Leclerc stressed he had reason to be satisfied with fourth "because FP1, FP2, FP3 I was quite lost, struggling quite a bit, actually a lot".

"To be honest it has been quite a messy weekend from my side from the beginning of the weekend," explained Leclerc, who also lost track time in FP2 when his session was curtailed by cooling checks.

"I struggled to find the car set-up right, I struggled with confidence with the car and I struggled with the driving, so it was not easy.

"Then coming into quali we did some changes, I think I changed the driving quite a lot and [it] was a lot better.

"Not enough to be in front of the Mercedes or at their level but at least we got closer, and I think there was a bit more potential - so [about] this I'm disappointed, but overall it's a positive day."

Mercedes' front-row lockout in China follows Ferrari's one-two on the Bahrain GP grid, but Leclerc insisted improved form from his team's main rival had not come as a surprise.

"Valtteri [Bottas] was quick all weekend," said Leclerc.

"Lewis [Hamilton] I felt was struggling a little bit with the car before qualifying.

"So, no, it's not such a surprise, I think it was more a surprise to see Lewis struggling in free practice than seeing them both quick in quali, we expected that."