Sophie Collins
Charles Leclerc was victorious at the first race of 2022 after an incredibly entertaining season opener in the Sakhir desert.
The Ferrari driver was joined on the podium by his teammate, Carlos Sainz after a dominant performance from the prancing horses.
The team seems to have meshed well with the new regulations and with much more ease than the previously dominant Mercedes team.
However, Lewis Hamilton landed a last-minute place on the podium following Sergio Perez’s retirement from the race and was just ahead of his team-mate George Russell in P4 at the chequered flag.
Kevin Magnussen completed the top five for Haas on Sunday after both Red Bull drivers were forced to retire their RB18s before the end of the race – citing issues with the fuel pump.
Speaking after the race, Charles Leclerc told Sky Sports: “I’m so happy.
“The last two years have been extremely difficult for the team.
“One-two today with Carlos, we couldn’t hope for better. It’s incredible to be back at the top.”
Later, he gave more detail on the weekend and said: “Coming into this season, we knew we would be in a better position than we have been for the past two years, but we didn’t know exactly where we would stand.
“To be back on top with a car that is capable of winning feels incredible. A huge thank you to our whole team, you’ve done an amazing job and this victory is for all of you.
“The race was tough and I gave it my all. Whenever I had a bit of margin behind me, I felt in control of the race and was managing the gap well. But after the first stop, things became more tricky.
“Max challenged me three times and I had to position myself in the right way to reclaim my position each time he passed me. Once the Safety Car came out, we lost the gap we had created and had to start again from zero. I knew I had to do the best restart possible and I am glad I got the job done well.
“Car development will be more significant than in previous years and we have to stay on top of our game. As for this weekend – we did everything right. Pole, fastest lap, the victory, and second place for our team. Forza Ferrari!”
“Ferrari is back and it’s properly back,” Carlos Sainz said after the race.
“We had one-two and it’s where the team should be.
“The hard work is paying off and we are there.”
He went on to say: “This is definitely a day to celebrate for the entire team. Starting the season with a 1-2 is the perfect reward for the tireless work they have done over the last two years and congrats to Charles on a solid win.
“We also want to share our joy with all our Tifosi around the world because we always felt their support even when we were not fighting at the top.
“For me, I’m very happy with the result but I’m not particularly happy with my race. It was probably one of the hardest ones since I joined Ferrari. I wasn’t feeling at home with the car and we need to understand why. But today it’s time to celebrate this amazing result all together.
“The great effort to bring Ferrari back to the top, where it belongs, has paid off today and everyone deserves to enjoy it. We’ll keep pushing next week in Saudi. Forza Ferrari!”
“So happy to see them doing well again,” Lewis Hamilton added. “They’re such a historic epic team so it’s great to see Charles and Carlos up there.
“This is really the best result we could have got. Of course it was unfortunate for the other two drivers but we did the best we could and we’re grateful for these points. ”
As the teams begin to settle into their new machinery, it seems a number of them have been dealing with teething issues and will likely be in overdrive to improve ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP this weekend.
