Xavi Marcos, former race engineer of Charles Leclerc, has revealed details about the true relationship between the Monegasque and Sainz at Ferrari. He also shared how Leclerc reacted to the news of Lewis Hamilton’s signing, who will replace Carlos Sainz at Ferrari next season.
Xavi Marcos, former Ferrari race engineer for Charles Leclerc, shared his insights on the Monegasque driver’s characteristics and strengths. The Spanish engineer, who is set to begin a new chapter in the WEC as Technical Director of Cadillac, discussed various aspects of Leclerc’s personality and driving abilities in an interview with the Italian media.
Marcos described Leclerc as an exceptional driver with an incredible natural talent, expressing great admiration and affection for him. He also highlighted Charles Leclerc’s personal qualities, portraying him as a simple, polite, and humble individual who had always treated him well. According to Xavi Marcos, despite being young, famous, and part of Ferrari, Charles Leclerc had remained unchanged, which he considered admirable.
From a technical standpoint, Marcos identified Leclerc’s greatest strength as his ability to quickly adapt to the car and provide detailed feedback on its behavior while driving. He noted that Leclerc pushed for setup changes aggressively, sometimes beyond typical limits or even against engineers’ recommendations.
Marcos also pointed out the significant progress the Monegasque driver had made in race management, particularly in tire handling, stating that he was well-rounded in all other areas and fully prepared to become a true champion.
Regarding their relationship after his departure from Ferrari, Marcos mentioned that they remained in frequent contact and that he still cared deeply for Charles Leclerc. He emphasized that the Ferrari driver knew he could always count on him for any support, concluding that there were no issues between them.
Did Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz get along?
Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari has sparked excitement but also raised questions about how the seven-time world champion will coexist with teammate Charles Leclerc, on whom the Maranello team has always placed great trust. The Monte Carlo driver grew up in the Ferrari Academy and has always been closely linked to the Scuderia. However, Lewis Hamilton’s arrival could shake things up and impact the delicate relationship between teammates. But what was Charles Leclerc’s relationship with his previous teammates before Lewis Hamilton’s arrival?
According to Xavier Marcos, Charles Leclerc learned a lot from Sebastian Vettel, his first teammate. With Carlos Sainz, things were different: the Spaniard is a very consistent driver who works hard and prefers to keep friendship and work separate. Their relationship was always quite formal but also fairly correct. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz did not always see eye to eye, but even when they disagreed, they did so constructively, Xavi Marcos revealed. When Ferrari announced the deal with Lewis Hamilton, the Monegasque driver appeared happy, giving the impression that he took the news well. Charles Leclerc immediately started thinking about everything he could learn from Lewis and how to use his presence at Ferrari to grow professionally, Xavi Marcos added.
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