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Leclerc relieved to conclude difficult Sao Paulo weekend 'on a high'

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Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was relieved to conclude his weekend in Sao Paulo "on a high" after enduring a difficult Saturday at Interlagos.

Leclerc finished yesterday's sprint event seventh, or four spots behind Scuderia teammate Carlos Sainz, a performance that was far from satisfactory for the self-critical Monegasque.

But the Ferrari charger dug in, determined to raise his game on Sunday which he did at the outset with a strong start that elevated him from P7 to P4 on the opening lap.

Leclerc succumbed early on to an irresistible Lewis Hamilton but held his own in fifth place for the remainder of the afternoon.

"Very happy," he said when asked how he rated his performance.

"Today was all about managing the gap with the people behind. Obviously I had Carlos behind but after that we were quite clear compared to the others which was good to see.

"So yeah, happy with the pace today, especially happy with the improvement I've done in driving from yesterday to today.

"Yesterday was difficult for me, I worked hard yesterday night, I worked hard this morning and I managed to drive a lot better during this race. So happy to finish this difficult weekend on a high."

Both Leclerc and Sainz followed a different strategy compared to the bulk of the field, running the medium tyre during two consecutive stints and then concluding their race on Pirelli's hard compound.

Read also: Hamilton unstoppable in triumphant Sao Paulo victory

Leclerc said that an in-depth analysis of the plan had yet to be undertaken but he reckoned that the strategy paid off.

"I think we had quite a good race," he commented. "We need to analyse, I don't have the full picture of it because I was basically pacing myself with Carlos' pace behind.

"I didn't really know what was going on other than that in the race, but everything felt quite okay on my side."

Leclerc ultimately crossed the finish line fifth, just 2.3 seconds ahead of Sainz.

But the double top-six finish equates to another bid bag of points for the Scuderia which now has a firm grasp on P3 in the Constructors' standings and a 31.5-point lead over rival McLaren.

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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.