Charles Leclerc says qualifying💎 fifth for Formula 1’s Tuscan Grand Prix goes beyond his Ferrari team’♋s expectations for its 1000th world championship race.

Leclerc progressed into Q3 for the first time in three races and set the fifth-fastest time with a strong final fl💧ying lap that saw him outqualify both Racing Point cars.

It marked the Monegasque’s best qualifying result of the season since he claimed fourth in qualifying for the Britis🐬h Grand Prix at Silvers🐈tone.

"I'm very happy, very happy with the lap overall," Leꦛclerc said.

"I put evඣerything together and P5 was definitely above any of our expectations. So very, very happy.

"Monza and Spa was extremely difficult for the whole team. I struggled massively to drive the car with those low downfo🧜rce settings, [it was] very difficult wi🃏th the balance.

"Here we managed to put the balance right and it felt very good in the car. We are lacking overall performance 🐽to be able to fight with the guys in front, but the balance was very good today.

"It gave me confidence and I could give my best on that qualy lap. But it was tꦺricky, because the first lap in Q3, I was with old tyres.

"So then to go from old to new, it was tricky, but atꦫ the end we m𝕴ade it happen."

Ferrari has failed to score points at the last two races after its struggles at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza𝄹.

Leclerc admitted it will be difficult to keep some faster cars behind him but is h👍opefulꦯ of ending the Scuderia’s recent barren run.

“There’s a good opportunity, but on the other hand if we look at t🅰he race pace of the other teams on Friday, they are quite a lot of cars that are stro⛎nger from us,” he explained.

“It’s goingꩲ to be difficult to keep them behind, but that’s my job in the car an🅘d I’ll give everything.”

In contrast to Leclerc’s efforts, Ferrari teammate Seba☂stian Vettel could only🐼 qualify 14th on the grid as he dropped out in Q2.

"It is aꦫ꧂ bit of a fight, but it's a fight the whole year," Vettel said.

"We try nevertheless to do everything we can, to u🔯nderstand the car a bit more.

"I try to do anything I can𝔉 driving 🤪to adapt, but I think there's still more to do."