The 2024 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix was uneventful for Scuderia Ferrari, finishing fifth and sixth with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, respectively, in the same positions they started at the 4.657-kilometre Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Sunday. The only “excitement” for the SF-24 cars came after a few laps when Carlos Sainz aggressively overtook his Maranello teammate at the exit of a turn, slightly damaging Charles Leclerc’s front left wing.
It was a questionable move by the Spaniard, who appeared to have deliberately ignored team orders that were clear to Charles Leclerc, namely to maintain positions and preserve the new soft tires in the early stages of the Barcelona race. Carlos Sainz saw an opportunity to get ahead and didn’t hesitate to take it.
This incident overshadowed the fact that Ferrari was the fourth-best team on track, behind not only McLaren and Red Bull but also Mercedes. The pace seemed similar to the Silver Arrows, and the performance in the qualifying session proved crucial, but Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz couldn’t outpace Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
The last thing Ferrari needs is internal conflict. This tension was somewhat expected, given that Carlos Sainz hasn’t officially decided his future in Formula 1, making him both nervous and determined, less inclined to follow team orders, which he historically dislikes.
Charles Leclerc commented that the battle with his Maranello teammate was unnecessary at that moment, as they needed to save their tires, especially in the last corner. He mentioned that he followed the orders while Carlos Sainz did not and passed him, taking an unnecessary risk. According to the Monegasque driver, this move cost them both time and resulted in damage to his front wing. He understood that it was a special weekend for Carlos Sainz as it was his home Grand Prix, but felt it was not the right moment and it cost him a position.
Charles Leclerc’s performance was lackluster until the final stint when he tried to catch the Mercedes W15 of George Russell on soft tires. With one more lap, he might have passed him, given the tire difference, as the British driver was on old hards. Charles Leclerc felt he performed well despite a less-than-optimal strategy. The main issue was the lack of pace compared to rivals, a clear fact.
On the other hand, Carlos Sainz clearly dismissed Charles Leclerc’s complaints, stating that the briefing the Monegasque mentioned never happened. He believed the new tires were necessary to immediately attack Mercedes, justifying his maneuver. It is therefore clear that there is a communication breach within the Ferrari team.
Carlos Sainz indicated that, from his perspective, the situation was clear: they had new soft tires while Mercedes had used ones, so attacking was necessary. He was unsure what happened to Charles Leclerc in the first laps, suggesting that perhaps the Monegasque made a mistake, but Carlos Sainz saw an opportunity to pass and took it, asserting that he wouldn’t stay behind his teammate forever and questioning what Charles Leclerc was worried about this time.
Looking back to the performance on the track, the gap to Red Bull and McLaren was wider than expected for the Italian side, but having four teams fighting closely in the qualifying session is great for Formula 1, though less so for Scuderia Ferrari, who hoped recent updates would bring them closer to wins. Instead, they face more competitors.
Carlos Sainz remarked that he thought they would be closer to the front, but Red Bull and McLaren were far ahead, and on tracks like Barcelona, Mercedes was in front. The Spaniard emphasized the need to work hard on similar layouts, noting that while they had a good chance to secure the race victory on the streets of Monte Carlo in Monaco, there are more tracks like Circuit de Catalunya where Ferrari is slower in high-speed corners.
Source: FUnoanalisitecnica
Leave a Reply