Charles Leclerc - Carlos Sainz, two tense moments in Q1 amid overtakes and track position

Charles Leclerc – Carlos Sainz, two tense moments in Q1 amid overtakes and track position | 2023 British GP. Two tense moments in Q1.

McLaren Surprise
Silverstone’s Saturday saw Scuderia Ferrari secure the second and third rows with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. The two SF-23 cars from Maranello confirmed their superiority – already demonstrated in Austria – over Mercedes and Aston Martin. However, much to the surprise of both red cars, the two McLarens of Norris and Piastri snatched second and third positions, taking full advantage of Sergio Perez’s latest misstep. In the “derby” between the two Ferrari drivers, the Monegasque emerged victorious, beating the Spaniard by just 12 milliseconds.

Internal tensions
But inside the Ferrari team, the focus seems to be more on the dynamics within the box rather than external factors. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, in fact, were the protagonists of an exchange of not-so-calm radio messages during Q1, revealing that the atmosphere within the Maranello lineup is less idyllic than it may seem. During the hectic final minutes of the first qualifying session, the two drivers swapped positions twice, accompanied by mutual complaints and accusations. The first chapter of this drama unfolded in the pit lane when they returned to the track after a red flag caused by Kevin Magnussen’s Haas stopping.

Carlos Sainz’s anger
In the column of cars entering the track, Carlos Sainz was immediately ahead of Charles Leclerc’s sister car. However, he was instructed via radio to give way to car #16. It was an instruction that the Spaniard followed, but certainly not with a smile on his face. “It’s a bit unfair what you asked me to do there,” Carlos Sainz thundered over the radio. “It made me lose tire temperature. Besides, I am more at risk. I am fourth, he is third.” The message from #55 was received loud and clear by his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, who apologized to his driver.

Charles Leclerc’s sarcasm
The second, even more peculiar, episode occurred shortly after, towards the end of their outlap. The two Ferraris found themselves in a situation of intense traffic, with several cars overtaking one another. Charles Leclerc patiently held his position in the “tail” that had formed, while Carlos Sainz became agitated and performed some overtakes in the last corner to launch himself with a clear track ahead. Among the drivers he overtook was his teammate, Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver certainly noticed this and did not appreciate the behavior, sarcastically commenting over the radio: “Well done Carlos, congratulations. Nice overtake at the last corner…” The #16’s acid comment. And tomorrow, at the start, the two SF-23 cars will line up one in front of the other, although not on the same line. A start that promises fireworks.