Sainz, who was involved in an intense battle with Fernando Alonso during the Sprint Race, fell behind Sergio Perez as both Spaniards were overtaken. Shortly after, Sainz found himself defending against Leclerc, while Alonso retired due to a puncture.
However, Ferrari’s #55 driver, who will leave the team in 2025, refused to back down and offered a strong defense against his teammate. Leclerc expressed his frustration over the team radio, stating that Sainz was offering more resistance to him compared to others.
As they approached turn 14, Sainz dove deep into the corner as he and Leclerc raced side by side. To avoid contact, Leclerc was forced off track before managing to make the pass at turn 4 later on.
Reflecting on the incident after the race, Leclerc described the encounter as aggressive and suggested that Sainz had crossed acceptable limits. He acknowledged that both drivers have been in similar situations in the past and expressed confidence in their ability to resolve the issue through discussion.
Despite the incident, Leclerc emphasized that he has a strong relationship with Carlos and believes they will quickly resolve any tension. However, he mentioned that the contact between them was unnecessary and they were fortunate to both finish the race.
In recent qualifying sessions, Leclerc has struggled to keep up with Sainz’s performance, which is surprising considering his reputation as a good qualifier. However, with the rules allowing adjustments between Sprint and qualifying sessions, Leclerc is determined to make changes and regain his advantage during the qualifying session.
Leclerc stated that his total focus is on the next qualifying session, as it has been his weakness in the last two races. He worked specifically on improving his warm-up lap and expressed optimism about his progress during the early segments of Sprint Qualifying. Leclerc believes that a good starting position in tomorrow’s race will give him confidence for a strong performance.
In conclusion, Leclerc is determined to face his recent difficulties in qualifying and is confident in his ability to bounce back.
