Leclerc credits Australian GP set-up breakthrough for Baku F1 pole

With a 1m40.203s lap at the close of the session, Leclerc chalked up his first pole of the season – his 19th in F1 – to beat the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to the punch.

Leclerc admitted his surprise at beating the brace of RB19s to the front of the grid, but he explained that much of the groundwork had been laid by the team during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

Although Ferrari failed to score at Albert Park, owing to Leclerc’s early retirement…