Charles Leclerc explains why he's glad Oscar Piastri beat Carlos Sainz in qualifying

Charles Leclerc is eager to convert his pole position into a win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, after clinching the top spot in Baku for the fourth consecutive time.

Having always shown speed on Baku's challenging street circuit, Leclerc secured pole position yet again for Ferrari in the 2024 edition of the race. Although it appeared Ferrari might secure both front row spots, Carlos Sainz was nudged into third by McLaren's Oscar Piastri, with Leclerc claiming this arrangement could work in their favour due to Piastri starting from the dirtier side of the track.

Leclerc expressed confidence in his car and the potential for a strategic advantage, stating: "The car felt really good and everything felt great. It's amazing to be on pole."

He optimistically outlined the team's prospects, saying: "Let's say it's the best we could have hoped for. Normally, the even side of the grid is a little bit less grip so first and third is where you want to start. Hopefully, we can play a team game tomorrow to win that race. But it's going to be a long race."

Acknowledging past performance patterns, he added: "In the past we were very strong in qualifying, struggling a bit in the race. This year we have a stronger race car so I hope that we can finally make it tomorrow. Tyre management will be a big thing tomorrow as well. We've got to do a good job."

Sainz delivered a career-best qualifying performance in Baku, securing third place and teeming with positivity despite missing the front row. Reflecting on his success, he stated: "We had a solid qualifying, solid day in general with the two cars and I think we put ourselves in a very good position for tomorrow. I've never really been 100 percent hooked up around here in my career."

Continuing with confidence about his prospects in the race, he added: "It's a track that I tend to struggle a bit, so to be third is a good position for tomorrow as also my race pace yesterday seemed strong... But it's Baku and I've never been my best version of myself around here, but I think tomorrow, we will compete."

Piastri also pulled off an impressive feat, fearlessly grazing past walls to set his remarkable time. Offering insights into his approach, Piastri shared: "I just got a bit closer to the walls and on the last lap got a little bit too close. I just tried to really get the most out of it. This track really rewards commitment, so the last lap in Q3 I knew I had a lot less to lose so I just tried to maximise the car."