Charles Leclerc has been the apple of the eye of Ferrari ever since he stepped into the team back in 2019. The F1 community has accused the team a lot for always putting Leclerc first and sidelining Carlos Sainz. Whether it was Sebastian Vettel or Sainz, they have always ignored the second driver in favor of Leclerc. However, team principal Frederic Vasseur has simple plans regarding Sainz.
The 2023 season started with Vasseur taking the helm of Ferrari. Vasseur shares a long-standing history with Leclerc, and a lot of people have speculated that it was one of the main reasons why he was chosen for the job of Team Principal at Ferrari.
im still not over the way charles ran up the stairs to hug vasseur after getting pole in baku ❤️🩹 i miss this… pic.twitter.com/0lukeFWrt6
— nini (@SCUDERIAFEMBOY) June 27, 2023
Leclerc’s relationship with Vasseur dates back to his Sauber days. It was under him that Leclerc made his F1 debut with the Sauber F1 team. Vasseur himself was the man who scouted Leclerc and helped him settle into F1.
Frederic Vasseur satisfied with Carlos Sainz at Ferrari
Vasseur has made it very clear that his entire focus is not on Leclerc. Talking to Corriere della Sera, Vasseur explained that Carlos Sainz is a very important part of the team.
Vasseur explained, “I am satisfied with Carlos, he is regular and gives important technical indications.” The team principal believes that Sainz and Leclerc form a winning duo and they can achieve great things. “I think he’s very underrated,” says Vasseur of the Spaniard.
🎙️| “It is said that Sainz is Binotto’s choice, not Vasseur’s…”
Vasseur: “I am satisfied with Carlos, he is consistent and gives important technical feedback. With Charles, he forms a winning pair. I think Carlos is very underrated.” pic.twitter.com/JpZtDuO9z4
— Ferrari News 🐎 (@FanaticsFerrari) June 28, 2023
He also spoke about how he sees Sainz as part of the long-term project at Ferrari. He explained that the ultimate goal for Ferrari is to win the World Championship. But to do that, he would need to build the project around Leclerc and Sainz both.
Vasseur’s plans for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
Vasseur clearly states what he demands from his drivers and what his expectations are from them. He said that like every other driver, Carlos Sainz also has room for improvement.
As for Leclerc, Vasseur thinks that the Monegasque has a habit of going beyond the limit at times, which lands him in trouble. However, they have talked about the issue and Vasseur expects Leclerc to improve.
When asked about the risk of losing the drivers because Ferrari has not started the contract negotiations yet, Vasseur explains that the focus should be on the team as a whole and not just on the drivers. But when it comes to the drivers, Vasseur said, “They are both attracted by the project, they want to stay and win.” However, Ferrari has a long way to go before they can dream about winning.
