Carlos Sainz has responded to the tirade from his teammate Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque expressed his displeasure after the race in Las Vegas about the Spaniard overtaking him. Sainz would have preferred if his teammate had delivered the criticism ‘behind closed doors’. Even a calmed down Leclerc did not want to comment on his tirade to the media after the race.
Charles Leclerc started the Grand Prix in the gambling city in high spirits, overtaking both Pierre Galsy and teammate Carlos Sainz in the first few meters after the start. A podium finish seemed within reach for the Monegasque for a long time, but things went wrong after the second pit stop. Although Leclerc had returned to the track before Sainz, and Ferrari had promised that the Spaniard would not overtake him, Sainz did so anyway. The Ferrari driver was not happy with his teammate’s decision and let it be known in an unprecedented tirade over the team radio after the race.
Sainz was also dissatisfied with the race’s progression, engaging in a debate over the timing of a pit stop via the same onboard radio. However, the Ferrari driver doesn’t appreciate his teammate airing his grievances so publicly. “I don’t like using the radio to complain,” Carlos Sainz Jr tells Sky F1. “I don’t like using the media to criticize, protest, or prove whether I’m happy or not. I prefer to do that behind closed doors, as this kind of commentary in the media never yields a good result.”
Leclerc Calms Down
Leclerc had cooled down by the time he appeared before the media. The Monegasque driver, therefore, didn’t want to delve too much into his earlier tirade. “It was frustrating, yes, but it doesn’t change anything for the team. For the drivers, it’s a bit frustrating. Second place is always nice, but in the end, it’s fine,” was the Monegasque’s calm analysis.
Leclerc reveals that he ultimately decided to let Sainz pass. “I think I did my part in the first stint. When I had the tires that were completely worn out,” says the Monegasque. “I didn’t want to fight at that moment, so I let Carlos pass. And then, yes, we’ll discuss the rest within the team. I don’t want to go into detail.” With their third and fourth place finishes in Las Vegas, Scuderia is closing in on their closest competitor, McLaren, in the constructors’ championship. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri didn’t finish higher than P6 and P7.
