Monza seemed like an isolated case, but once again, in Singapore, the Scuderia showed potential that no one, not even within the team, expected. Carlos had an unforgettable weekend that led him to his second career victory. The Spaniard, with daring choices, managed to unleash the potential of the red car and the team. Leclerc made himself available to his teammate, contributing to the long-awaited first victory. Vasseur is beginning to reap the rewards of his work.
The embrace between Carlos Sainz and Frederic Vasseur on the Singapore podium captures a perfect weekend. The SF-23 surprised everyone with how well it adapted to the Marina Bay circuit, but we’re still talking about milliseconds, the ones that allowed Sainz to make the difference in qualifying.
In such scenarios, aiming for victory requires a flawless effort from both the drivers and the team. A small misstep, like a jammed cog, and the assault can fade away. Ferrari in Singapore put together everything needed, starting with a in-form Carlos, followed by perfect strategies and pit stops. To aim for victory, Charles Leclerc’s sacrifice was also necessary, in the unusual role of a supporting driver, and on this front, his contribution matched expectations.
However, Sainz’s race conduct stands out above all. The sixty-two laps of Singapore were like a long chess game played on strategies, tire management, and track position.
Ferrari made the first move at the start by choosing to start Leclerc on the soft tires, an opportunity that Charles Leclerc capitalized on by passing George Russell. In the first stint of the race, Carlos Sainz was able to manage the pace, preserving the feared degradation of the medium tires he started on. The safety car on the twentieth lap didn’t catch the Scuderia’s pit wall off guard. They reacted promptly, allowing Carlos Sainz to maintain the lead after the pit stop.
The lead was back with Sainz, and here Carlos took charge, perfectly managing forty-two laps where the first necessary quality was composure and impeccable tire management.
When the two Mercedes drivers entered the pits on lap forty-four, taking advantage of the Virtual Safety Car (fitting a set of medium tires), Ferrari decided to keep Charles Leclerc on the track (who, in turn, had a new set of medium tires available) to cover Carlos Sainz’s back. From that moment, the Spaniard was called to push at the maximum allowed pace by the car.
For ten laps, Carlos had the opportunity to assess the threat posed by Lando Norris, who was trailing him by just over a second, reassuring himself of McLaren’s danger. It was a crucial moment because in the final laps, he deliberately left Norris in the DRS zone to assist him in defending against the charging Russell, knowing he wouldn’t be at risk from a potential McLaren attack.
Thus, an important victory arrived, matured since Friday without external help or favorable circumstances, and above all, a success that puts Carlos Sainz’s great work in black and white. “Having Carlos so fast from the beginning of the weekend was very helpful for the whole team,” explained Vasseur. “He did an excellent job from the first to the last lap; his race management was impeccable.” The Scuderia’s team principal, who stepped onto a Formula 1 podium for the first time, admitted that he wasn’t nervous in the final laps, which were held in suspense for the rest of the Scuderia.
“Honestly, it was a strange feeling,” he explained. “I wasn’t anxious; I had the feeling that Carlos was really in control of everything. Then, on the podium, yes, there was a bit of emotion. After all, it was still my first time. I thought back to everything we did after Jeddah; I remember the difficulties of that weekend. The team reacted, and I think we made a great recovery. It was good teamwork, and I’m more than proud of everyone working on the track and in Maranello.”
Charles Leclerc also wanted to be on the podium, but it wasn’t his day. Charles’ chances of victory were reset after Saturday’s qualifying, where he fell eight-hundredths short of Carlos Sainz, relegating him to third place on the starting grid.
When, two minutes before the start, the tire warmers were removed, revealing that Charles Leclerc would start on soft tires, the team’s plans became clear. Charles was asked to cover Carlos Sainz’s back, and he did just that. A bitter pill to swallow, but victory for the team was a strategically more important and definitely higher priority than Charles Leclerc’s ambitions. He accepted what was asked of him, putting a bonus in his pocket. His hope is to redeem it as soon as possible.
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