During one of his regular broadcasts, motorsport journalist Roberto Chinchero discussed the situation of team orders within the Scuderia Ferrari team, especially after the events that took place in the latest rounds of the 2023 Formula 1 championship.
For the past two races, Carlos Sainz has been making requests over the team radios, more or less implicitly, to the team to let him pass when he is behind his Maranello teammate Charles Leclerc. However, the Ferrari pit wall does not heed the Spanish driver and instead communicates over the radio to car number 16 that his teammate will not attack him. These could be signs of growing tension in Maranello, as it gives the Monegasque driver the role of the lead driver, which Carlos Sainz might not be too happy about.
Nevertheless, the Italian journalist supports the decision of the Ferrari pit wall and gives a small “hint” to the Spanish driver: “What Carlos needs to understand is that what matters, especially if the car has regained its speed, is the Q3 qualifying session and the race start. He needs to be in a position to be ahead. If he is always the one behind, the situation becomes complicated. Maybe there will be a time when the team sees that you have an extra second and lets you pass, but it is crucial that you are ahead on the first lap. That’s when the perspective changes. He has performed better than Charles Leclerc throughout the weekend, except for the Q3, and I believe it is frustrating for him. On the other hand, Charles has the talent to be there at the crucial moment.” – Roberto Chinchero pointed out, when asked about the internal dynamics between the Ferrari drivers in this 2023 Formula 1 campaign.
