Leclerc post-qualifying interview:
In 2021 and 2023, we didn't have the car to win, but luckily, we finished on pole. In 2022, we had the right car, but unfortunately, the engine blew up. Tomorrow, we will see: I haven't done a lap with a lot of fuel yet, so it will be important to adapt very quickly. But this year, we are stronger in race pace than in a single lap. That gives me confidence. There is always a difference between what is on paper and what will actually happen, but I will do everything I can to be perfectly prepared tomorrow and finish the job.
I don't consider this to be my home GP (laughs), but it's a circuit where I feel comfortable. After the mistake, I was quite confident anyway, also because I regained confidence in that corner in FP2 and FP3. I was happy with the car; I practically didn't change anything compared to FP1, and it was pretty much the same car up until qualifying. It's quite rare, but I felt good and knew I could change the car's balance with my driving. Whenever it's like that, I feel very comfortable.
Sainz:
I think I found something in Q3 that could have helped me in Q1 or Q2, but I'm happy to start from the third position. Yesterday, I was among the fastest over the long run, and I'm confident that things can improve in the race. If we do a good job tomorrow, we can try to win with either Charles or me. A one-two finish here would be important for the team and for the Constructors' Championship, where we are close.
Among the top eight, there is at most two-tenths of a second difference. It only takes a small change in balance to be ahead of the others, and I hope it will be us. I am convinced that we can achieve a good result tomorrow, with the number one goal being to finish in first place.
This third place is certainly not exceptional, but it is decent. I would have liked to be on the front row, but I have always struggled a lot on this circuit in the past. It's one of those circuits where you are not very fast from FP1 and then have to adapt: for Charles, it's totally the opposite. He is always very fast, and it comes naturally to him.
Drivers feeling positive, let's have a good race!!
But there was always a bigger delta for RB cars as their wings carried more drag without DRS with bigger flap frontal area and angle. Ferrari decided to do the same thing and introduced the new wing design at Spa 2023, exactly the wing we see here too. Bahrain and Spain wings from this year are of the same "family" and they do have the same DRS delta as RB wings now. Funny thing is, McLaren introduced this wing at Spa this year and it was also designed with bigger flap area and angle and their DRS delta is almost the same too.
