The Ferrari F1 team raised several eyebrows at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend after they had a nerve-wracking finish to the race. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz battled closely for the final podium and also made slight contact on one occasion, resulting in immense dismay for the Tifosi. However, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has now revealed in a conversation with motorsport.com that it was all a part of the act.
While Vasseur did not seem to have much concern about the drivers racing each other in the final few laps of the Italian GP, Sainz Sr was far from impressed and suggested his son seek answers. The two-time Rally champion said, “He (Sainz jr) is the one who has to ask and understand the strategies. Why sometimes they can attack each other and other times not”.
How racing should be, tough but fair 🫡 #ItalianGP 🇮🇹 #F1
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) September 3, 2023
Even though Ferrari’s strategy did not impress the 61-year-old, he was delighted to see his son achieve the podium. Since many such as Sainz Sr raised concerns about the Prancing Horse‘s strategy to allow their drivers to race the way they did, Vasseur has now hit back at them.
Vasseur defends allowing Leclerc and Sainz to race each other
While speaking to motorsport.com in a recent interview, Fred Vasseur said (as quoted by soymotor.com), “If we hadn’t let them race, you would have asked us exactly the same question: Why don’t you let them race“? The Frenchman then accepted that while it is easy for him to talk about the same after the race, he believes it was the right decision to let the best between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz come out on top.
“I think it was the best way to thank the Tifosi, and I wasn’t comfortable stopping them with five laps to go,” Vasseur added. While the 55-year-old had no problem in allowing his drivers to race, he did make it clear that he had told his drivers to keep it clean.
Fred Vasseur keen to seek answers from Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
In the same interview, Fred Vasseur explained how he looks to seek answers from Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz for going beyond a limit while racing each other. The Frenchman understands that the term, “no risk,” is relative, but he is yet keen on discussing the incident again with his drivers.
“As you can imagine, we’ll have the discussion after the race, but perhaps not tonight. Tomorrow they are in the factory. I don’t want to see it tonight. I will watch it tomorrow,” Vasseur explained.
Following an enthralling Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the teams will now travel to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix. This race weekend will take place from September 15 to 17.
