The drivers’ standings speak for themselves: with his third-place finish in Belgium, Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc climbs to fifth position, while his Maranello teammate Carlos Sainz, who was forced to retire, drops to seventh as Formula 1 heads into summer break.
The third Ferrari podium of the 2023 Formula One season brings joy to the fans of the Scuderia. However, there is much regret due to the early-race incident involving the Spaniard and Oscar Piastri. In Belgium, the SF-23 showed good pace, as Charles Leclerc stated in post-race interviews. While it may not have been an outstanding performance, the car’s performance was enough to keep Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes at bay.
The drivers’ standings are now updated with Charles Leclerc at 99 points (tied with George Russell), while Carlos Sainz remains at 92 points.
The result of the race in Belgium does not satisfy the Spanish media, who have pointed fingers at Charles Leclerc. In particular, Marca has judged the Monegasque driver’s performances as simply a matter of “luck.” Here’s what the well-known Madrid-based newspaper wrote after the Belgian Grand Prix:
“With today’s result, [Sainz] loses positions in the standings. His teammate managed to overtake him after the last races, where, even though Ferrari didn’t perform very well, luck was on Charles Leclerc’s side. Thus, the Monegasque driver heads into the break with a fifth place in the world standings, tied on points with George Russell, while Carlos Sainz is in seventh.”
The article concludes with words from driver #55 reflecting on his recent performances on the track, which haven’t fully satisfied him. For this reason, he hopes to “recharge” during this month-long break and return in top form:
“I think the summer break is good. We all need to hit the reset button and come back with recharged batteries.”

Source: f1ingenerale
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