Last year, after the 2022 Australian GP, Charles Leclerc had a comfortable lead of 34 points in the drivers’ championship. The Monegasque won 3 of the first 2 races giving Ferrari hopes of winning their first driver’s title in 17 years. However, Max Verstappen dethroned his lead and claimed his 2nd title.
The Ferrari driver remained optimistic about resuming his title battle in 2023 but so far it hasn’t gone his way. Leclerc has secured only 6 points in the first 3 races and has suffered two retirements. This has shifted the dynamics of the team as Carlos Sainz has emerged as the team’s top scorer.
Former Ferrari technical head Joan Villadelprat believes Sainz’s emergence won’t sit well with Leclerc. He claims the Monegasque will be left behind as the ‘Number 2’ driver if the Spaniard continues to outperform him
Carlos Sainz has outworked Charles Leclerc claims Joan Villadelprat
According to Joan Villadelprat, Charles Leclerc will not settle for the 2nd driver spot at Ferrari. Though, if Carlos Sainz continues to outperform the 5-time Grand Prix winner, he will be demoted without a doubt. Hence, the next set of races is crucial for Leclerc
Villadelprat commented, “Leclerc has been sold that he is the number one driver. So when he sees Carlos in front, no matter how strong a bond they have, it eats his guts.” Sainz has managed to secure 20 of Ferrari’s 26 points so far.
The Spaniard also believes, in the long run, Ferrari will tend to favor Sainz. “Carlos will always be ahead. He works more than Leclerc,” he said. This makes the Spanish racer a “positive asset” for Scuderia.
Charles Leclerc after 3 rounds 2022:
71 points, 1st in the standings (34 clear)
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Charles Leclerc after 3 rounds 2023:
6 points scored, 10th in the standings
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I can’t do this anymore
— Matt Gallagher (@MattP1Gallagher) April 2, 2023
Villadelprat claims the Spaniard works harder than Leclerc because he knows his teammate is much faster on one-lap speed. Leclerc is also a fan favorite of the Tifosi. He has been with Ferrari since his junior Formula days and hence is favored by the team.
The Former Ferrari engineer claims that the Monegasque is also more temperamental when results don’t favor him. He added, “Leclerc puts a lot of pressure and lots of trouble on the team when things are not going well, and this doesn’t help.” This is why Sainz is advantageous to Ferrari in the long run.
Things can change quickly for Leclerc says Villadelprat
Charles Leclerc suffered a lap 1 retirement and Carlos Sainz finished 12th in the 2023 Australian GP after his penalty stayed. This confirms Ferrari’s worst start to a season since 2009.
According to Joan Villadelprat, the race in Azerbaijan is the perfect opportunity for Leclerc to reinstate his authority within the team. The Spaniard believes the Monegasque will come back stronger after the break.
Ferrari is having worst start of season since 2009, with 4.33 points scored per driver/race in first 3 GPs of season – same as 2005.
It is 13th worst season start in history of Ferrari
60 seasons they started better#F1 #Ferrari pic.twitter.com/HBPXjpQH1Y
— F1_charts (@F1_charts) April 6, 2023
He said, “Leclerc is going to come back, and very strong. He has more raw speed than Carlos, who has to work on it more, so he has to push and take maximum points and stay there.” Villadelprat believes Only a good result in Baku can convince Ferrari to retain Leclerc’s position in the team.
Although the Monegasque has struggled to recreate his last season’s form, he still maintains a favorable position. Villadelprat added, “At Ferrari, the scale changes weight immediately. Now, Carlos is ahead but if Leclerc takes the lead, his weight, even today, is greater than Carlos’s at Ferrari.”
On the track, a massive gap exists between the Italian outfit and leaders Red Bull. However, with a 4-week gap between Australia and the upcoming race in Baku, the team had ample time to analyze their deficits and make necessary upgrades.
