Charles Leclerc expects Ferrari will hold talks to clear the air between him and his team mate after they clashed during today’s sprint race.
He was forced wide by Carlos Sainz Jnr at the hairpin while the pair fought for position on lap 16.“What the fuck?” Leclerc exclaimed on his radio afterwards. Once he took the chequered flag Leclerc told his team: “Let’s speak after. He’s fighting more me than the others.”
The pair have had close fights in the past, notably at Monza last year. Leclerc accepted his team mate’s driving was no tougher than his had been on previous occasions.
“To be honest I have crossed the line also myself in the past and when this happens, we normally have a discussion, we clear the air,” Leclerc told Sky. “We went through that in the past already and it went really well so I have no worries that it will be the case also this weekend. But today he went a bit over the limit.”
Leclerc said he was in a better position to attack than Sainz at that stage in the race and the incident potentially cost him a better finish.
“Contact between us two, being in a different race situation because I had saved quite a bit the tyres, I had good pace at the end, it’s a bit of a shame that we lost that gap to Perez and couldn’t go and take him. But it’s like this. P4, it could have been P3, one point. You can always do better.”
Sainz waved to his team mate as the pair drove back to the pits at the end of the race. He said afterwards he was prepared to apologise for the collision, which occured after he tangled with Fernando Alonso.
“I was sliding around with the damage in the car and dirt on my tyres and I was doing everything I could to defend and obviously sliding. I had a bit of a moment there with Charles, but I apologise if I did something over the limit.
“But we were all racing really hard today. I was trying my best to keep it under control out there.”
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Jere (@jerejj)
20th April 2024, 6:41
At least, he got past eventually anyway.
Yellow Baron
20th April 2024, 16:11
Only because Carlos was fighting Charles more than the others. Oh wait actually because he was fighting Alonso just as hard
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
20th April 2024, 18:26
Because he shoved Fernando off and the innocent party got the penalty (and even then, Carlos was more interested in fending off Charles than Checo).
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
21st April 2024, 1:51
Which race was this?
Yellow Baron
20th April 2024, 16:09
The mentality of drivers has changed a lot compared to 15+ years ago where they would just fight. Now it’s “I was in a better race situation because I saved tyres” “why is he fight me harder than the rest” after he just held his line at high speed against another guy then made a dive before the back straight. Same with lando he does this all the time. It’s as if they think there is no drivers championship and they should always race for the team. It’s dog eat dog and there’s no other way about it. Maybe Charles and lando and whoever else should ask if they can share team radio with their teammate and offer to start a joint enterprise with them too. Otherwise just race goodness sake. Especially in a SPRINT
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
20th April 2024, 18:26
“Just fight” leads to DNFs these days.
AlanD
20th April 2024, 20:21
Agree Yellow Baron. I cannot remember which team boss said it first, maybe Ron Dennis, but they used to say they are free to race, and the only rule is don’t take each other out, (which suggests taking out other cars is fine).
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
21st April 2024, 1:58
Does it? Oh… I see. If there is only one rule, then they are free to do anything else that doesn’t contravene that rule.
So driving off the track and going for a drive thru Macca’s is fine too, or politely letting other drivers past if they promise to come to his birthday party.