Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were nearly involved in an accident at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix. Team principal Fred Vasseur may now have to manage the creeping tension within the camp.
Leclerc started ahead of Sainz on row three, having out-qualified him for the sixth consecutive race. But on the third lap, the home hero attacked with the aid of DRS.
He got past and into P5, but only after making contact with his teammate and taking to the run-off. Damon Hill felt that Leclerc should have backed out to avoid a potentially disastrous collision.
The Monegasque expected the Ferrari drivers to work together at the beginning of the race rather than losing time to their rivals. He said that Sainz ‘wanted to do something a bit spectacular’ at his home Grand Prix, particularly as it’s an ‘important moment of his career’ (via The Race).
This was an apparent reference to his imminent departure after Ferrari decided not to renew his contract and sign Lewis Hamilton instead. The 29-year-old fired back that Leclerc ‘complains’ too often after races.
In the end, Sainz still finished behind. He came into the pits earlier on both occasions, which meant he was on hard tyres for his final stint, with Leclerc on the faster softs.
Charles Leclerc was very complimentary about Carlos Sainz before Spanish GP
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of the race, Leclerc had offered a glowing appraisal of Sainz. He clearly rates him very highly and expects him to achieve ‘great things’ at his next team.
This is particularly interesting in light of the war of words between the two drivers after the race. Vasseur must ensure that their mutual respect outweighs their rivalry given that Sainz now has nothing to lose.
“He’s a very talented driver,” Leclerc said of the ex-McLaren man. “I’ve always said that. I’m sure that there will be great things in the future for him.”
Sainz and Leclerc are unlikely to be direct competitors next season. The former finds himself choosing between midfield teams Williams, Alpine and Audi.
He may have initially hoped to slot into Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes. But Toto Wolff says the Silver Arrows pulled the plug on their contract talks earlier in the year.
Sainz unhappy with interviewer’s question about driving style
Sainz came into 2024 energised by Ferrari’s rejection, scoring podiums in each of the first three races he started and winning in Australia. He bullied his way past Leclerc twice en route to winning driver of the day at the season opener in Bahrain.
But his momentum has dissipated since. He hasn’t been Leclerc in any meaningful session since Sprint qualifying at the Chinese GP in April.
During that race, Sainz mounted an aggressive but ultimately unsuccessful defence against his teammate. He had to apologise in the debrief, according to Nico Rosberg.
Spain, then, wasn’t the first time he’s drawn the ire of Leclerc this year. And yet, when he asked whether he had ‘adapted’ his driving style since becoming a free agent, he said he ‘didn’t know’ why the interviewer would pose such a question.
The dynamic between the Ferrari duo will be an intriguing subplot for the remainder of the year. They have maintained a cordial relationship over the past three and a half seasons, but now it faces a real test.
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