Sauber's Leclerc happy with 'fun' Grand Prix debut

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Sauber's Charles Leclerc fulfilled the most important task entrusted to an F1 rookie: he finished the race!

The 20-year-old Monegasque enjoyed a strong race, running all afternoon at a consistent pace and without any mistakes which yielded a P13 finish.

Overall, Leclerc was quite happy with his first step on to Grand Prix racings global stage.

"I am very happy about my day. The start was not ideal – I had to catch up with the competitors ahead of me and slowly work my way forward," he explained.

"We maximised our potential and had a consistently good pace. I was able to overtake some of the cars, which was fun."

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After a good start, team mate Marcus Ericsson was unfortunately forced into retirement after just six laps when his C37 suffered a hydraulic issue.

Sauber team boss Fred Vasseur was obviously disappointed with Sunday's outcome but nevertheless labeled the weekend as positive..

"Overall, it has been a positive weekend. We have made good progress since Friday and are at a good starting point," said the Frenchman.

"I have learned a lot and feel confident going into the next round in Bahrain.

"Regarding the race we have mixed feelings because Marcus was doing an impressive job after a good start. We will now analyse all the data," added Vasseur who praised Leclerc's maiden F1 performance.

"Congratulations to Charles for his first race in Formula 1. It was important for him to finish and he did a great job with tyre management and fuel saving.

"All in all, it’s a good feeling for the team and we are very motivated as we look forward to Bahrain."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.