The Singapore GP definitely upped the ante for F1 after a seemingly unending rut of listening to the Dutch National Anthem every Sunday. The increased pressure on other teams with Red Bull out of the picture also showed in teammate dynamics; especially for the ones leading the race. After a heroic victory at Marina Bay, Carlos Sainz may have brushed off his teammate in an unheard exchange in the cool-down room.
Charles Leclerc has long been the apple of Ferrari’s eyes, but in the last two races, Sainz has become a threat to Leclerc’s spot in the hearts of the Italians. Finally proving himself with thunderous performances, it’s safe to say that Sainz’s confidence has also increased.
This shift in dynamics was called into question in Singapore. As heard in the radio conversations between Mercedes and George Russell, it seemed like Ferrari was sacrificing Leclerc for Sainz. Fair play, considering Sainz was in the lead. Hence, he got the undercut while Leclerc faced a nightmare pit stop that ruined his race.
Carlos Sainz snubs Charles Leclerc
Ferrari has been no expert in double stacking or pitstops for that matter, and thus, it was a risky move to call in both cars under the safety car period. Sainz came in first and enjoyed a quick and easy pitstop. However, Leclerc was stuck in traffic and had to wait before leaving his box. Thus the man who was running in the podium position found himself around the middle of the grid in P8.
After crossing the finish line and quickly celebrating with Leclerc and the team, Sainz moved to the cooldown room where Norris enquired about Leclerc’s botched pitstop. Sainz replied, “No idea… it wasn’t my business.”
Leclerc’s pitstop was not only orchestrated to help Sainz but also saved his race. If the call was reversed, Sainz would have lost his race lead. Regardless of ifs and buts, the pitstop robbed Ferrari of a possible 1-2 finish and is a rather harsh way to dismiss a teammate’s race.
Leclerc nurses wounded ego
Leclerc was well aware of the role he played in Carlos Sainz’s race. Also understanding the team’s decision to pit him second, the Monegasque blamed himself ( as per Planet F1) for being in that situation. “Because on my side, I wish I had done a better result today. But in the end, it was up to me to do a better job yesterday.”
Finding himself in a new role as the second driver for Singapore, Leclerc admitted, “I knew that this race was going to be difficult for me in the first place. It was all about trying to protect Carlos in order for me to stop before him, so to leave a gap.”
As Ferrari sees a shift in internal dynamics, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the ever-competitive Sainz and Leclerc. The team hopes to end the season with a bang, possibly challenging Mercedes for P2 in the championship- but who will lead the charge?
