F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Leclerc: Ferrari 'could not hope for better' after 'difficult' years

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari's triumphant 1-2 in Bahrain was just what it needed to redeem itself after two "incredibly difficult" seasons.

Leclerc fended off attacks early in the race from his main challenger, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, and looked set to clinch a comfortable win until a late safety car reset proceedings.

Although the Monegasque was able to fend off Verstappen when the race resumed, luck was on Ferrari's side when the Dutchman was sidelined by a series of mechanical issues that not only sealed Leclerc's win, but also allowed teammate Carlos Sainz to seize the runner-up spot.

Leclerc praised his Ferrari team for its relentless efforts to put itself back in the winner's circle.

©Ferrari

"So happy, I keep repeating myself, but the last two years have been incredibly difficult for the team and we knew this was going to be a big opportunity for the team," commented an ecstatic Leclerc.

"The guys have done such an incredible job getting us and building this amazing car, so for now it's starting in the best way possible: pole position victory, fastest lap, 1-2 today with Carlos.

"We could not hope for better, so yeah thank you to all of you guys that kept supporting us in the past two years. It hasn't been easy but it's incredible to be back at the top."

On his early scrap with Verstappen that saw the pair battle intensely for several laps and trade places at the head of the race, Leclerc said that he tried to manage his position relative to his rival to best exploit his DRs.

"I was trying to be as clever as possible, using the DRS as much as possible," Leclerc explained.

"I was trying to brake early at Turn 1 just to be behind him at the DRS detection point, and twice it worked out!

"I took back my first position and I'm just incredibly happy that we made it work."

In a bout of Monegasque humour, Leclerc joked over his team radio on his final lap that he was suffering from an engine issue!

"I did a bit of a joke on the radio on the last lap saying there was something strange with the engine," he said.

"The engineers, I’m pretty sure, didn’t like that. But it was fun, I had that in mind for the last 10 or 15 laps of the race, hoping there were no reliability issues."

Sainz, who complimented Ferrari's triumph, identified Verstappen's issues soon after the safety car period and sensed a chance to gain the upper hand over the Red Bull charger.

"At the restart, I had a strong chance because I had a very clean restart behind Charles and Max," he explained.

"He defended well, to be fair. And then suddenly I started seeing some flashing red lights on the back of his car. And I said, ‘OK, this is my chance,’ I went for it.

"He [Verstappen] was unfortunate. I think today he was driving well enough to get P2 but I had a good run on him and then he had to retire. So it's what it is. And it's good for Ferrari."

"Ferrari is back, and it is properly back with a 1-2 and where the team should be the last two years but the hard work is paying off on and we are there," concluded the Spaniard.

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.

Recent Posts

Alpine double-podium in Brazil could deliver $30 million windfall

Alpine’s remarkable double podium at the São Paulo Grand Prix with Esteban Ocon and Pierre…

49 mins ago

F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2024 São Paulo GP

Alexander Albon, Williams (Did Not Start): 5.5/10 Alex Albon is definitely going through something of…

2 hours ago

Jos Verstappen rips British media after Brazilian Max fest

Jos Verstappen wasted no time after his son spectacular win at the São Paulo Grand…

4 hours ago

Leclerc left with ‘mixed feelings’ after disappointing Sao Paulo GP

Charles Leclerc's weekend in Sao Paulo was unfortunately a stark contrast to Ferrari's recent triumphs…

5 hours ago

Back when Kimi knew exactly what he was doing

Twelve years ago on this day, Kimi Raikkonen took a popular win at the 2012…

7 hours ago

Mercedes fined for starting grid tyre pressure infringement

The Mercedes team was hit with a fine by the FIA after Sunday’s Sao Paulo…

8 hours ago