Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz: two top drivers for Ferrari
Carlos Sainz, after securing pole position in Monza, repeated his performance in Singapore by also winning the Sunday Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc knows he missed a great opportunity to triumph in 2023, particularly in Qualifying, in the last corners of the Marina Bay circuit where he lost that tenth that relegated him to the second row, still very close to his teammate and George Russell. At the start, Charles Leclerc was equipped with soft tires to take second place, a plan executed to perfection. At that point, the Monegasque driver covered his teammate’s back, and the Safety Car definitively quashed any hopes of victory for Leclerc.
In the standings, Carlos Sainz has a 19-point lead over his Maranello teammate, but more importantly, he now has two pole positions and a victory in his favor in a competition where he had previously held on thanks to consistency. “Who’s in charge at Ferrari?” is the title of the article by Il Resto del Carlino, authored by Leo Turrini, who writes: “Now Ferrari has discovered that it has two captains. The boom, even in the media, of Carlitos Sainz introduces an independent variable into the dynamics of the Prancing Horse. The consequences will have to be handled with caution and intelligence. Because, of course, you can’t expect Carletto Leclerc to be intoxicated with happiness in the face of his colleague’s well-deserved recognition. Carlitos is ahead. And Carletto is seething.”
La Stampa takes a stance and writes about Carlos Sainz surpassing Charles Leclerc in the hierarchy: “Charles Leclerc has accepted with sportsmanship the change in the team’s hierarchy – reads the article by Stefano Mancini titled ‘Sainz, a family takeover, Ferrari is now tailor-made for him’ – Monza saw permission from the pit boxes for a duel with his teammate, without being able to overtake. Two weeks later, the internal challenge between the two was played out in qualifying. Frederic Vasseur was desperately seeking his first win as team principal, and to bring it home, he devised an aggressive strategy, sacrificing Charles to protect Carlos. The changes made to the SF-23 over time weigh on the new course, which now suits Sainz’s driving style but no longer appeals to his teammate.”
Il Corriere dello Sport highlights that Carlos Sainz’s ‘explosion’ since Formula 1 returned to the track after the summer break has given the definitive boost to negotiations that will lead to the renewal of both Scuderia Ferrari drivers’ contracts: “Negotiations began after Monza – writes Fulvio Solms – and at this moment, there is no obstacle to reaching agreements within a couple of months.”
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