Sebastian Vettel on Charles Leclerc not following Ferrari team order in Bahrain: "He was clearly faster at that point"

Charles Leclerc finished the Bahrain Grand Prix in third place after engine trouble in the closing stages of the race, but took the lead from Sebastian Vettel on lap six with an overtaking move at Turn 1. Team radio on the lap prior to the overtake revealed his engineer asked him to remain behind his teammate for two laps.

“I’m quicker guys,” Charles Leclerc said. His engineer responded: “Copy. Stay there for two laps. Stay there for two laps.”

Sebastian Vettel appeared to be struggling with the handling of his Ferrari prior to the overtake, and got a worse exit than his teammate from the final corner on lap five. Combined with a DRS advantage and a head wind into Turn 1, Charles Leclerc was able to pass his teammate on the outside before holding him off on the inside of Turn 2.

Asked about the radio exchange after the race, Leclerc said: “I was just letting them know [I was quicker]. Then I think I had an answer, saying to me ‘OK, stay like this for two laps’ but then on the next straight I had the opportunity to go for it, so I went for it and it was a successful pass and then I was just quicker, so then I did my race.”

Ahead of the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel was also asked to comment on that moment and the German driver admitted that he has no problem with Charles not following the Ferrari team order in Bahrain: “He was clearly faster at that point. I could have attacked back on the next straight, but it wouldn’t have made any sense. Both of us would have lost valuable time.” – Sebastian Vettel explained.

And the four-time world champion admitted he must improve to remain in the Championship hunt: “He is fast. He has proven many time before why he deserves this place,” Vettel said – “To work with him is pretty straight froward but I don’t know what you guys quite imagine on the other side. I have never come across a driver that is a pain in the a*** and I hope I never will. That’s clear. I said prior to the season it is going to be a different challenge and a different person. I’ve always shown respect when other people did well and he did in Bahrain. I wasn’t happy wth my performance and not happy with the feeling for the car. That’s why I know I can do better and we have lots of races to show and prove that. But at least when I’m not at the top of it it is good that he is.” – Sebastian Vettel concluded.