Former Scuderia Ferrari driver Mario Andretti, who in 1978 became world champion with Lotus, feels that the Maranello team will start backing Charles Leclerc when the 2022 Formula 1 campaign passes halfway. After several difficult years, Ferrari have returned to fighting for race wins in 2022, thanks to focusing their efforts on the new rules and regulations. As a result, after five races of the current championship, Charles Leclerc leads the Drivers’ standings with an advantage of 19 points over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
In the Constructors’ Championship, the Italian side has a six-point advantage over Red Bull ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Ferrari changed its driver line-up last season, with Carlos Sainz called in to replace Sebastian Vettel. Many felt that Charles Leclerc should be considered the Maranello team’s main driver, but during the previous season Carlos Sainz showed he was able to match his teammate. The Spanish driver even scored 5.5 points more than Charles Leclerc in his first campaing alongside Ferrari, gaining the confidence of fans and most importantly the Italian side’s management, as Carlos was offered a contract extension until the end of the 2024 F1 season.
However, driving the F1-75, a Ferrari challenger which has allowed the Maranello team to return to the top, Carlos Sainz has not been able to show the same level of performance and consistency so far, as he looks for his first Formula 1 race win. Given the fact that Charles Leclerc nos has a total of 51 points ahead of his teammate after just five events, there is more and more talk about the possibility of Carlos settling into a supporting role to Charles.
Ferrari boss boss Mattia Binotto explained his view several times, stating that both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are free to fight, adding they are the best line-up on the grid.
When Mario Andretti was asked by Sky Italia if he agreed with that claim, he replied: “Absolutely.” And now that Charles Leclerc has further exteded his lead over his Maranello teammate as a result of the second place finish in Miami, it increasingly feels as though Mattia Binotto’s decision not to impose team orders cannot go on for much longer.
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Mario Andretti though feels Ferrari should take a more long-term view, adding that the team will assess where Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are come the halfway point of the 2022 Formula 1 season, forming an approach for the second half from that.
“We know Binotto leaves them free to fight. We will see halfway through the season who’s ahead of the other, then the team-mate has to support the other one,” Mario Andretti added.
At the same time, the former Ferrari driver said that Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are both “very good drivers”, arguing that having two racers who can both win races is also important for the Italian side: “But both are very good. Carlos had some problems so far, but he knows he has the car. And having two drivers able to win is a good thing for the team.” – he concluded.
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