Scuderia Ferrari has long chosen not to designate one of its drivers as the number 1, despite the shared past with Charles Leclerc. Here’s Carlos Sainz’s perspective on the matter.
Fred Vasseur immediately asserted that Ferrari would not have a designated number 1 driver, even with the shared history with Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver has always spoken highly of Ferrari compared to his teammate Carlos Sainz. However, this has never truly placed them on distinct levels.
It was Carlos Sainz, in fact, who, as the only non-Red Bull driver, secured a victory during the 2023 Formula 1 season and played a crucial role in securing the first win for Fred Vasseur as the team principal of the Maranello-based team, thanks to the Spaniard’s performance at the Marina Bay street circuit in Singapore.
For other teams, Ferrari has built a significant strength by not explicitly defining which of the two drivers is the lead pilot. Of course, there may still be some fans or journalists pushing for a clear focus on one of the two in Maranello. However, according to Carlos Sainz, such an approach would be wrong.
“If you ask around the paddock what could be one of the strengths of a team, they will tell you that having two very fast drivers is certainly an advantage. So, if the great experts believe it’s the best thing, maybe there’s reason to trust it. It’s not negative to have two very fast drivers in the same team,” firmly states the driver with the number 55.
“Charles and I have a beautiful relationship, and we respect each other. For us, dialogue and constantly spurring each other on matter. We know that before me or him, there is always Ferrari. The real priority is that. We get along well, have never had incidents, and what we have built is very nice,” Carlos Sainz continues.
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“I don’t know if Charles and I are the fastest pair in the paddock; it’s difficult to speak about a driver pair if you are one of the two. I just know that what we have between us works very well. We are calm and work well together; ultimately, that’s what matters.”
Meanwhile, both drivers are waiting to understand what the future holds for them and whether they will reach an agreement with Scuderia Ferrari for the renewal of their respective contracts, which currently expiring at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 championship.
Source: f1ingenerale
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