Formula 1

Leclerc after Bahrain GP win: 'Incredible to be back at the top' after Ferrari woes

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Charles Leclerc admits it is "incredible to be back at the top" after winning Ferrari's first race since 2019 at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Monegasque led every lap of the Sakhir circuit on Sunday evening, fending off Max Verstappen until the Dutchman's Red Bull suffered mechanical problems late on.

It was the perfect start to the new season for the Scuderia, as teammate Carlos Sainz inherited second.

And following the lows of 2020, Leclerc was delighted by the turnaround achieved thanks to Formula1's new 2022 regulations.

"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," he said in Parc Ferme.

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"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, one-two 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."

Before the sting in the tail for Red Bull, Leclerc and Verstappen enjoyed three epic laps of wheel-to-wheel racing with Max flying ahead down the main straight only for Charles to repass up to Turn 4.

"I was trying to be as clever as possible, using the DRS as much as possible," the now three-time race winner 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."

While admitting he was fortunate to equal his best result in F1, Sainz echoed Leclerc's comments on the Italian team's renaissance at the start of this season.

"First of all, congrats to Charles and congrats to Ferrari - Ferrari is properly back!" said the Spaniard.

"We got a one-two and the team is where it should have been over the last three years. The hard work is paying off and we are there.

"For me, it's been a very tricky weekend, I'm not going to lie," he added. "I didn’t have the pace today but I managed to hold it together and bring the one-two for the team.

"I have some homework to do over the next few days and I’m sure I’ll come back stronger."

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