The most banal evaluation is necessary: when Ferrari is involved everything causes a stir. The skirmish between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the Spanish Grand Prix took center stage, on a media level everything was already ready in the drawer from the moment Ferrari made the hiring of Lewis Hamilton official last February.
However, there are some broader assessments that deserve attention and concern the support that will come from the two Prancing Horse drivers in the Constructors’ World Championship. Ferrari and Mercedes are in the same boat, and even if in the case of the Anglo-German team it was the driver who left the team (the opposite to the Scuderia) the end result seems the same.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
At Mercedes the relationship between the two drivers is more tense than the Maranello tandem, there has always been a strong rivalry between Hamilton and Russell despite the official proclamations. Even during the weekend in Barcelona there were fiery words from Russell (via radio) towards his teammate at the start of Q3 (“What the f… is Lewis doing on the preparation lap?”) with his engineer Marcus Dudley committed to restoring calm. George was irritated by Hamilton’s slowdowns when he was actually busy warming up the tyres. Russell accused Lewis of having thwarted a set of softs, but the episode itself didn’t have much appeal.
Mercedes, which returned to podium competitiveness in the last two races, is fourth in the Constructors’ standings but very far (86 points) from third position, occupied by McLaren. Ferrari’s situation is different, currently second but with McLaren closing in on them. There are 33 points that separate the two teams, but in the last two races Norris and Piastri have recovered 35 points.
![Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24](https://cdn.motorsport.com/images/mgl/6VRQBMv6/s1000/carlos-sainz-ferrari-sf-24.jpg)
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Ferrari
At the moment the difference between the two teams is given by the more aligned performance of the Ferrari tandem, with Leclerc in parallel with Norris (2 points difference in favor of Lando) while the gap between Sainz and Piastri is much more substantial: 29 points to the advantage of the Spaniard.
To aim for second place in the Constructors’ classification (considering Red Bull out of reach) Ferrari needs a full contribution from both its drivers, vice versa the chances of being overtaken by McLaren will increase considerably.
From this perspective, Sainz’s management in the second half of the season will be crucial, considering the difficult situation that Carlos has been experiencing for four months now. His scenario is very different from the other ‘big’ separated at home, namely Hamilton, given that it was he who decided to leave the team. There are frictions, and big ones too, but Lewis can’t complain about anything, given that it was his choice to make the choice.
As far as possible, Sainz will have to be supported and understood, also taking into account some gestures like that of Montmelò. Carlos is a very intelligent boy and the long evaluation that he has been carrying out in recent months to arrive at the choice that will determine his future confirms that all scenarios have been put on the table.
Sainz could draw a winning card, the history of Formula 1 has many similar cases in its archive, but he could also spend many seasons before finding himself driving a single-seater that could allow him to aim for the podium again, and Carlos knows this perfectly.
Sainz still has fourteen Grands Prix ahead of him as a Ferrari driver and will want to capitalize as much as possible, with his head down, without any strategic constraints. On the other hand, Leclerc, if weekends like Melbourne and Monaco arrive where the victory target is possible, it is not certain that he is still willing to sacrifice himself (like last year in Singapore) for the good of the team. He could do it, as he has always done in the past, but if it is a departing teammate who benefits, he is not so obvious.
![Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari](https://cdn.motorsport.com/images/mgl/2548QEN0/s1000/frederic-vasseur-team-principa.jpg)
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari
Photo by: Ferrari
For Vasseur it is a challenge within the challenge, trying to ferry the team to the end of the season without leaving points along the way and with the obstacle of no longer having any cards to play with the number 55 car.
Toto Wolff is also in a similar situation, but without a head-to-head like the one between McLaren and Ferrari, a comparison in which every point could be crucial. In the paddock there are other high-voltage garages such as the Alpine one, probably the most incandescent, but the goals are of a different magnitude and the spotlights are much further away than those that are permanently stationed on the Ferrari.
#Ferrari #LeclercSainz #rivalry #knot #resolved