F1 News: Ferrari Tensions Rise As Charles Leclerc Sparks Fresh Battle With Carlos Sainz

Saajan Jogia | Nov 25, 2024

Nov 20, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (16) during media availabilties at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has claimed that he will no longer adhere to team agreements with teammate Carlos Sainz following an incident during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where Sainz allegedly disregarded team orders to not overtake Leclerc. The Monegasque stated that he will prioritize his own approach moving forward, explaining that he sees no reason to respect agreements that Sainz himself has failed to honor.

Tensions between Ferrari teammates Leclerc and Sainz have escalated with just two races remaining in the 2024 season. The strain intensifies as Sainz prepares to depart for Williams in 2025, paving the way for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to join the Maranello outfit.

During the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Sainz was instructed by Ferrari to let Leclerc pass after the second pit stop and to refrain from overtaking him for the remainder of the race. However, Sainz defied team orders, overtaking Leclerc to secure third place. Leclerc, clearly frustrated, vented his displeasure over the team radio during the cool-down lap, unleashing expletives as his race engineer, Bryan Bozzi.

While the rift had already been made public, Leclerc revealed after the race that he would no longer comply with agreements made with the team concerning Sainz. He said:

“I am not happy about Carlos, but I won’t go into details.

“Why? Because we talk about these things before the race, and I’m always the only one who respects those agreements.

“From now on I will be thinking about myself only.

“It’s a shame that I couldn’t get more points on Norris.”

In the early stages of the race, Leclerc gave up his position to Sainz since his tires had worn out severely after attempting to chase race leader George Russell. When asked about giving up that position, the Monegasque added:

“Me on Carlos? You mean me letting Carlos pass? I think I did it on the first straight and I didn’t even have the message from the team. I said it on the radio that I would do it.”

Tensions between Ferrari drivers are reaching a boiling point as the team intensifies its pursuit of McLaren in the Constructors' Championship. With the Las Vegas Street Circuit proving difficult for McLaren's MCL38 F1 car, Ferrari capitalized on the opportunity to reduce the gap to just 24 points. However, the growing discord between the drivers raises doubts about their willingness to adhere to team strategies in the critical final races.