Second-starting Sainz passed polesitter Max Verstappen around the outside on the second lap before the Red Bull driver retired with a fiery rear-right brake failure. That enabled Leclerc to complete a Ferrari 1-2.
While Verstappen’s car was ailing from the race start, which made the RB20 feel as though the “handbrake” was left on, the Ferrari duo believed they were already in contention for victory from FP1.
Asked how important the result was for team morale and for confirming the early-season credentials of the SF-24 challenger, Leclerc replied: “Oh, it's extremely important.
“It's been a long time since we have had the genuine pace to have Red Bull - I wouldn't say under control, because we don't know what was the real pace of Max today, but I will say that from FP1, we knew that pole position and the race win were possible because we had very good tyre degradation, very good pace. That is a very encouraging sign.”
Source: Autosport