F1 News: Ferrari Chief ‘Not At All Worried’ About Carlos Sainz’s Performance Over Charles Leclerc

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is not concerned that Carlos Sainz is currently outperforming teammate Charles Leclerc.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur / Ferrari Press Image

Carlos Sainz has edged ahead of his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in qualifying sessions and race victories. Despite this, Ferrari's team principal remains unworried about the internal dynamic ahead of the Spanish driver leaving the team at the end of 2024 to be replaced by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

Key Takeaways:

• Carlos Sainz is currently leading Charles Leclerc 2-1 in the season's qualifying sessions and has secured the last two race victories for Ferrari.
• Team principal Frederic Vasseur expresses confidence in Leclerc, highlighting his recent second-place finish and minor time gap to Sainz.
• Sainz's future with Ferrari is limited, as he will depart at the end of the season, making way for British driver Lewis Hamilton.

Nov 15, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. of Spain during media / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Carlos Sainz, despite leaving Ferrari after the 2024 season, has been showing commendable performance, outshining his teammate Charles Leclerc in recent outings.

However, Ferrari's team boss, Frederic Vasseur, remains unfazed by the current standings within his team. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Vasseur conveyed a sense of unwavering confidence in Leclerc, underscoring his recent P2 finish and the negligible time difference to Sainz in their last outing. He explained:

"I'm not at all [worried].

"Charles was P2 [in Australia] last week and I think that 18 drivers on the grid would have expected to be P2 last week.

"Today he's one tenth off Carlos, he knows perfectly where he needs something. For now it was more lap one, Q1 than something else. The season is long and I'm not worried at all about the situation."

Adding to the drama is the revelation that Sainz will be making way for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari in a sensational move, partnering with Leclerc. This significant change puts an additional spotlight on Sainz's current performances and future prospects in the sport.