Drivers Share Their Thoughts at the Press Conference After Qualifying

For the fourth year in a row, Charles Leclerc will start the race in Baku from pole position, and he shared that Baku City Circuit is one of his favorite tracks.

Following the qualifying session for the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024, a press conference was held with the participation of the drivers. The F1 drivers shared their thoughts and expectations for the race.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc will start from pole position for the fourth consecutive year at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. According to Leclerc, the Baku City Circuit is one of his favorite tracks. However, he has yet to win a race here and is determined to change that: "This is one of my favorite tracks on the calendar; I really enjoy it. After the crash during the first free practice, I thought the weekend would be tough for us, but it didn’t shake my confidence because I knew we had the pace."

During the second practice, the team faced issues with one of the new components on the car, costing them an extra half hour in the pits. In his final attempt, Leclerc decided to push his speed further and managed to secure a great result. "The car felt fantastic, everything was in order, and I'm really happy to have taken pole. The Ferraris are starting from first and third positions, so we hope to play as a team and aim for the win tomorrow," said Leclerc.

Young Australian driver Oscar Piastri delivered an incredible performance in today's qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, securing second place, just 0.3 seconds behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

After the race, Piastri commented during the press conference: "On my final fast lap, I got so close to the wall! This track really rewards bravery and commitment, so I went all in on my last attempt because I had nothing to lose."

Piastri also noted: "It's really hard to follow another car here, so we'll try to get some clear track tomorrow. We have good race pace, but the Ferrari is no slouch either."

Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz finished third in today's qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. In the post-session press conference, Sainz shared his thoughts on his result: "I think we had a solid qualifying session, and overall, it was a smooth day. Both Charles and I will be starting from good positions for tomorrow's race."

Sainz added: "In previous years, I’ve never managed to push to the limit during qualifying at this track, never given it my all. So third place isn’t a bad result. It looks like I have a strong race pace, so we’ll still be fighting tomorrow."

At the end of the press conference, when asked by a journalist what music he listens to before a race, Sainz mentioned that he really enjoyed the Azerbaijani national anthem played during the opening ceremony.

Overall, the qualifying session has ramped up the excitement for the final day, with drivers expressing their determination to overcome the challenges of the Baku circuit and deliver strong performances.