The pairing of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at Ferrari has been full of sparks, both positive and negative. The two brought the Scuderia back to competing for the Constructors’ Championship in the final GP, something that hadn’t happened in 16 years, and they have always been each other’s point of reference—the first rival to beat. On the other hand, there have been several competitive clashes between them, culminating in on-track battles (sometimes unnecessary) and tense team radio exchanges. Their relationship has never been in question, except for a few minutes after races, when emotions were high and the media were relentless.
Speaking on the Beyond The Grid podcast, the Spaniard emphasized the respect he has always had for the Monegasque driver: “Off the track, I get along very well with Charles. We’ve talked about every possible topic, given all the time we’ve spent together. On the track, we’ve had our differences, our rivalries, good weekends and bad weekends, but we’ve always brought the cars back to the garage in one piece. For four years, we’ve shared the same stretch of asphalt because our qualifying positions were often close, our pit stops were close, and we often found each other in the race, but we never crossed the line, and that’s worth highlighting because it’s not easy. We’re both very competitive, but over about 100 races, we never collided. I don’t think many other pairings can say the same.” – the former Ferrari driver pointed out.
These remarks came in the wake of the Las Vegas GP, after which Charles Leclerc vented his frustration on the radio against his teammate, even using strong words. Sainz explained that the situation wasn’t serious but still threw in a few jabs: “We’ve always put aside our differences for the good of the team. Sometimes I made mistakes and apologized, sometimes he did and apologized. The radios make everything bigger than it is because the conversations are very intense, and only the grumpy side of the drivers comes through. But when the adrenaline subsides, the situation is less tense than it seems. We talk and move on. I understand why Charles was angry; I’ve been in that position too, but I never said it on the radio. It’s a goal of ours not to discuss these things publicly. Charles, in that moment, couldn’t control himself, and I understand that.
Anyway, I’ll look back on these four years with joy. He’s been a great rival, who sometimes used the radio a bit too much, but I’ve enjoyed every moment. I’ve become a better driver thanks to him, and vice versa.” – Carlos Sainz concluded.
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