F1 journalist believes there is 'no rivalry in Ferrari, the real problems lie elsewhere'

F1 journalist believes there is ‘no rivalry in Ferrari, the real problems lie elsewhere’. F1 journalist feels there is 'no rivalry in Ferrari'.

In recent weeks, there have been increasing tensions between the Scuderia Ferrari drivers. From Carlos Sainz’s requests regarding his position compared to his teammate, to Charles Leclerc’s team radio messages about orders not being followed, it seems that there is a tense atmosphere between the two drivers of the Maranello team, driven by the Spanish driver’s desire to be ahead of number 16.

However, according to motorsport journalist and F1 expert Roberto Chinchero, this is a typical situation in the Formula 1 environment and should not be a cause for concern.

“In Ferrari, the drivers have the power to choose whether to go out ahead or behind in qualifying on alternate turns, and at Silverstone, it was Charles Leclerc’s turn. There is one version that says Carlos Sainz did not respect the rules, but the Spanish driver said something different: his teammate had chosen to go out behind, but then the team told him to let Charles Leclerc pass, and he got angry because at that point it would have been better for him to stay in the pits with the tire blankets. Another version, on the other hand, suggests that car number 55 overtook his teammate to avoid receiving the checkered flag. Are these really big issues? Are they things that happen in a tense environment or are they part of the competitiveness among drivers? I don’t know, but this has happened before. Just think about what happened between Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, even worse things, and it’s not like it’s any different in other teams.” – the motorsport journalist pointed out.

“The real problem is that the car has not been put in a position to perform, and that is serious. Above all, it seems that Ferrari’s strategy mistakes are due to the fact that they relied more on data than on real-life observations. Just look at how McLaren always asked Lando Norris about how the tires were doing, while it seems like Ferrari hadn’t even looked at them,” Roberto Chinchero concluded when looking back at the British Grand Prix.