Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc admitted to feeling “very angry” over the quick conclusions some fans have drawn, speculating that he and Maranello teammate Carlos Sainz may be at odds.
With this season marking the end of the Charles Leclerc – Carlos Sainz pairing, as Lewis Hamilton is set to join Scuderia Ferrari starting with the next Formula 1 campaign, both drivers remain focused on the team’s pursuit of the Constructors’ Championship.
However, the recent Grand Prix in Brazil proved challenging. The Monegasque driver finished in fifth, while Carlos Sainz, who won the Mexican Grand Prix just weeks prior, crashed out of the race. The incident, along with Carlos Sainz’s post-race comments, quickly went viral, fueling rumors of discord between the two Ferrari drivers.
“My opinion is that we are pushing too hard, absolutely no need for the team,” – these were the Spanish driver’s comments over the team radio in Mexico City which sparked speculation, but his teammate has firmly rejected any notion of tension between the two.
“I’m very angry with what I’ve seen everywhere,” – Charles Leclerc pointed out in an interview for Sky Deutschland when quizzed regarding the suggestions of intra-team tension. “People judge on two seconds of coverage. And actually before that, I went to see Carlos and there was no tension because I don’t even know what he was requesting at the beginning of the race.” – the Monegasque driver added.
Max Verstappen triumphed in the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit after an impressive drive from 17th on the grid, further solidifying his position at the top of the drivers’ standings. The Dutchman’s victory expanded his lead to 62 points over Lando Norris, his nearest rival, with Charles Leclerc sitting in third place. This isn’t the first time the dynamic between Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz has made headlines. During the Spanish Grand Prix earlier in the 2024 Formula 1 campaign, the two drivers exchanged sharp words, with Carlos Sainz brushing off complaints from the Monegasque:
“Too many times he complains after the race about something,” the future Williams driver explained after the two Ferrari SF-24 nearly collided in the race at the Circuit de Catalunya – “I was on the attack, on a new soft while Mercedes were on a used soft, and we had to go on the attack in the first laps and try to pass them like we said even before the race. I passed Charles – I don’t know if he made a mistake or was managing a bit too much, and then I went on and nearly passed Lewis… I was just trying out there what I have to try as a driver. He elected to manage more and in the end it paid off. I like to be aggressive and it didn’t pay off, it is what it is.” – the Spanish driver explained at that time.
The next challenge for Ferrari’s duo comes at the 6.2-kilometre Las Vegas Strip Circuit in Nevada, USA, where just three races remain in the 2024 Formula 1 championship. In last year’s race, Charles Leclerc secured a strong second place finish after starting from pole position and being unlucky with the timing of a Safety Car, while Carlos Sainz had a more difficult outing, finishing in sixth.
