Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc clears the air with teammate Carlos Sainz after Las Vegas rant
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Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr (left) and Charles Leclerc arriving at the Lusail circuit on Nov 28, ahead of the Qatar grand prix.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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DOHA – Charles Leclerc said that he had cleared the air with Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz after turning it blue with a radio rant at the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Nov 24.
The Monegasque, who finished fourth after being overtaken by Sainz, reacted with fury and lots of swearing after the chequered flag. He was earlier assured that Sainz had been told not to pass or put him under pressure.
While the positions made no difference to the constructors’ standings, Leclerc is tussling with McLaren’s Lando Norris for second overall in the drivers’ standings after Max Verstappen of the Red Bull sealed his fourth championship in Las Vegas.
Sainz has two more race weekends, including the Nov 29-Dec 1 Qatar Grand Prix, with Ferrari before leaving for Williams in 2025, as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton replaces him.
“I don’t want to go back to what happened in Vegas,” Leclerc said on Nov 28.
“Whatever happened in Vegas, we discussed about it and we are all good, which is the most important thing. I have no doubts about that because we’ve always had a really good relationship with Carlos.
“We’ve had races, where sometimes things don’t go exactly the way we want. But the most important thing is we discuss about it, and we go forward. It’s very clear for both of us that we just want to win the constructors’ title.
“It’s by working as team that we’ll achieve that, and I’m sure there won’t be any problems with it.”
Ferrari are 24 points behind leaders McLaren with 103 remaining to be won – the amount available in Qatar being boosted by a sprint on Nov 30.
The Italian team have not won any title since their constructors’ success in 2008, and will need their drivers to be working well together.
“Sometimes I have overstepped the lines and sometimes he did. It only requires a discussion between us two, and we look ourselves in the eye,” added Leclerc.
“We know each other since a very long time now. We understand each other very, very quickly so I have no doubts. Sometimes we need these kind of things to reset a little bit.”
Leclerc expects Qatar to be a more difficult weekend for Ferrari, but said he and Sainz would do everything possible.
“I have no doubts that going into the last two races of the season there won’t be any problems whatsoever,” he added.
“At the end, it’s in the benefit for both of us to try and win that. We know that an opportunity like that doesn’t happen very often and we’ve got to do absolutely everything on both of our sides in order to try and win that.”
In other news, Valtteri Bottas confirmed that he is poised to return to Mercedes next season as a reserve driver in the wake of Mick Schumacher’s decision to leave the team at the end of 2024.
The 35-year-old Finn, who is not being retained by Sauber ahead of their takeover by Audi, told reporters that there was still “a bit of work to do” as he contemplates his future.
He declined to say it is his best option, but added: “It is a really solid option and I really appreciate what Toto (Wolff, Mercedes team chief) said last weekend. There’s still a bit of work to do to finalise some things.
“It’s been a while that I’m now in the situation that I can decide yes or no on some different things. So I just want to wait at least few more days, or one or two weeks – probably to get over with the season, then sit down and we’ll see.”
Bottas will be replaced at Sauber-Audi by Formula Two championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto.
REUTERS, AFP
