Carlos Sainz Sr. critical of Ferrari amid no team orders: "My son should talk to the team"

Controversy erupted in the post-race aftermath of the 2023 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz Sr. coming to the defense of his son against the Maranello team: “I find it amusing that sometimes they allow certain things.”

With the two Red Bulls now out of reach and Max Verstappen on his way to another victory (despite a close call in the final laps), the only remaining prize at the Italian GP was the lowest step on the podium. The contenders for the third place were the two Ferrari drivers.

Carlos Sainz, who started from pole position, was grappling with some wear and tear issues, and his teammate Charles Leclerc didn’t hesitate to attack him. Despite no communication from the team, despite a significant “guys, let’s bring it home” message from Carlos Sainz over the radio, the two drivers staged a thrilling duel.

Coming dangerously close to contact on several occasions, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc had fans on the edge of their seats in the Monza grandstands (and beyond), repeatedly swapping positions and often locking up going into the first turn. After an intense battle, the Spaniard emerged victorious.

Sainz Sr.: “My son should talk to the team”
Speaking to Dazn microphones after the race, Sainz Sr., the father of the Spanish driver, expressed some criticism of the team.

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“Honestly, I find it amusing that sometimes they allow certain things, and other times they don’t,” he explained. “My son should ask the team why sometimes they can race each other, and sometimes they can’t.” – he pointed out after the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

The reference, of course, is to previous GPs in Canada and Austria, where Ferrari prevented Sainz from challenging his teammate on the track.

“Today, I’ll only remember the third place,” the Spaniard continued. “Now that it’s over, I’m happy that there were no team orders. It’s even more deserved.”