Vasseur, indirect reply to the Spanish press on Sainz
“Ferrari favors Charles Leclerc over Carlos Sainz“. The Spanish newspapers abandoned half measures: after the wall’s decision to leave the positions in Canada and Austria unchanged, keeping the Monegasque in front, the Iberian newspapers exploded yesterday in Hungary, when Ferrari did not let Sainz pass in the first stint, who was on soft tires and a different strategy, and in the second stop stopped him after the Monegasque, allowing the latter toundercut.
According to team principal Frederic VasseurHowever, there is no need to make any controversy, as Ferrari has only thought of protecting the collective result, wasting as little time as possible on the track.
Vasseur’s words
“It was the best way to protect the team result. Considering that Carlos had to start on the softs and looking at tire wear, Leclerc had the potential to finish 20 seconds ahead at the end of the race. It means that the decision was right. Before the call though, no one can predict whether there will be a gun problem or a penalty. It’s always easy to look back on the race after the checkered flag”.
“The weekend was strongly conditioned by the sixth and eleventh place in qualifying. Starting eleventh we had to take risks at the start, starting with the softs. It was a good choice, but we also knew that after that we would have to mount two sets of hards and it was difficult. As for Charles, the race was better. The pace was there, but the result was conditioned by the penalty and the problem with the pistol when changing tyres, losing eight seconds plus those due to traffic. We could have been fifth. There is a feeling of a missed opportunity”.
The contract expires in 2024
After the race that saw him finish in eighth place, Sainz did not want to make great controversy, even if he provided an assist to his compatriots in the press by speaking of the choice of Ferrari as a way to compensate Leclerc for the first slow pit stop: the Monegasque lost about seven seconds to a defective pistol, returning to the track behind Lance Stroll and his teammate. It is possible that, behind an always professional attitude, Sainz feels little positive feelings about the renewal of contract. The agreement expires at the end of 2024, like Leclerc’s, but the latest grand prix could weigh on a decision that he himself has postponed until winter.
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