After the race in Las Vegas, Charles Leclerc had a heavy heart for his teammate, who, according to him, did not pay attention to team orders and agreements. The Monaco was very angry that while he played a fair game and offered Sainz a finger, the other side of the garage immediately took his whole hand. Not only during the race, but also after it, there was a scathing radio call.
Ferrari had an almost perfect start. Charles Leclerc moved up to second, while Carlos Sainz held on ahead of Pierre Gasly. The pair then chased down George Russell at the front, but then the tires gave up completely and the chase was over.
“I was pretty confident that we had a car that worked well with the tires and that our car was better than theirs,” he explained his offensive drive Charles Leclercwho didn’t miss much to get ahead of Russell. “However, I probably overshot it a bit. I paid for it in the first stint. We were very fast in the second and third stints, but it wasn’t enough.”
The Monaco man was reconciled with the fact that Ferrari was not entitled to Mercedes today. However, he refused to accept the behavior of his teammate. While he didn’t give him any problems in the first stint and when he started to struggle with the tires, he even offered himself that Sainz would not delay and let him in front, when the card turned and it was Sainz’s turn to return the favor, so he coughed him up, so to speak.
We saw it after the second pit stop, when Charles Leclerc found himself in front of Carlos Sainz on the way out of the pits. At Ferrari, they agreed that they should not attack each other yet, and that they would only be able to deal with each other at the end of the race. Until then, it was important to save tires, which several teams had a problem with.
“Carlos was instructed not to overtake you. However, it will be very close, you will probably come out right before him. He’s been told not to put pressure on you, so just take care of your tires,” his race engineer informed Charles Leclerc Bryan Bozzi on the way out of the pits. However, as soon as he finished it, Sainz was already not only at Leclerc’s level, but even ahead of him. “Focus on your tires,” he said as Sainz settled into the front.
Leclerca the whole situation angered: “Maybe try saying it in Spanish!” he announced on the radio rather tamely. After the checkered flag, however, it was evident that it was boiling inside him.
“Pick up the lumps, please,” he countered Bryan Bozzi. “Yes, whatever you want, as always,” he responded sarcastically Leclercas if he wanted to convey with this reaction that he, as the biggest fool, will do everything he sees in his eyes for the team. Bozzi he replied: “Charles, you did your job. Thank you.”
“Yes, I’ve done my job, but when I’m nice, it always sucks, really always ***! It’s not even about being nice, just showing respect. I know I should shut up, but it’s still about the same thing!” thundered Leclercwhich he jumped into Fred Vasseur: “Charles, Charles!”
“Okay. In any case, you did a good thing for the team,” comforting his rider Bozzi. “Don’t forget the lumps, please.”
“Yeah, yeah, you fucking lumps, what else *** do you want,” he replied Leclercwho wanted to say it for himself. However, he did not realize that he had forgotten to turn off the radio.
— f1videos (@Error20F1) November 24, 2024
A calmer person has already arrived in the media zone. However, he recalled that while he did Sainz a favor in the first stint, the other party did not return it. At the same time, he emphasized that he did not want to make it a big media topic.
“It’s okay. Every time this kind of frustration arises, others don’t have all the information. From my point of view, it makes no sense for me to go into the details of what we discussed,” he said Charles Leclerc on the margin of what the drivers and engineers said to each other before the race. “I will not go into it. It was frustrating, yes, but it didn’t change anything from the team’s perspective. It’s just frustrating from a rider’s point of view.”
“I think I did my job in the first stint when my tires were completely destroyed. I didn’t want to fight then, so I let Carlos go. We will discuss the rest with the team. I don’t want to go into details,” repeated the Monacan.
Finally, he was asked if he regrets that the team favors one driver over another. “It’s not about the team preferring one or the other. These are things that were told to us and not respected. It’s okay though. I’ve already said too much. It’s frustrating, but I understand that no one understands.”
Charles Leclerc in Las Vegas: A Race of Frustration and Miscommunication
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gather ’round and let’s get into the juicy bits of Formula 1 drama that’s hotter than a Las Vegas summer! Our man Charles Leclerc is feeling less like a Monaco prince and more like a jilted lover after a race filled with team chaos, miscommunication, and an apparent lack of listening skills—I’m not naming names, but if you can hear Carlos Sainz snoring over the radio, that might be a clue!
After the race, Leclerc was about as pleased as a cat at a dog show, lamenting how his relentless spirit was completely undone by what he perceives as his teammate’s blatant disregard for team orders. It’s like offering someone a slice of pizza and then watching them order a whole pie instead—just downright rude, if you ask me! He says he played it fair, extending a finger—let’s hope it wasn’t the middle one!—but Sainz, bless his heart, took the whole hand and crushed it like my hopes at the poker table.
Race Day Insights: A Tale of Two Drivers
Ferrari was on track for a near-perfect performance. Leclerc zoomed up to second place like he was trying to escape a flaming car chase, while Sainz fended off Pierre Gasly like an overzealous knight defending a castle. But then, all the tire-related hopes for glory came crashing down when the rubber literally hit the road—or more accurately, didn’t, as their tires decided to take an extended vacation.
“I was pretty confident that we had a car that worked well with the tires,” proclaimed Leclerc, full of optimism. Well, let’s just say that confidence was about as misguided as my belief that I could win big in Vegas!
With Sainz hanging onto Leclerc’s coattails, you’d think teamwork would be the name of the game. But oh, how wrong we were. After a brief pit stop discussion—where race engineer Bryan Bozzi sounded like a teacher trying to reason with a couple of stubborn teenagers—Leclerc was told to take care of his tires while Sainz was given the green light to… oh wait, he just blasted by him like he was in a totally different race! “Maybe try saying it in Spanish!” Leclerc snarked via radio, and I thought, “Oh dear, here we go.”
Radio Shenanigans: The Aftermath
Post-race, Leclerc channeled his inner Ricky Gervais, armed with sarcasm sharper than a Swiss Army knife. “Yes, whatever you want, as always,” he quipped—because when you’re fed up, why not take the high road down a steep hill, right? His engineer’s enthusiastic “You did your job. Thank you” felt like a parent complimenting their kid’s half-baked chores!
Cooler heads prevailed at the media zone, with Leclerc trying to downplay his frustrations while clearly still fuming inside like a pressure cooker about to blow. He stated, “It’s okay. Every time this kind of frustration arises, others don’t have all the information.” Of course, Charles, we’re only human! But when you’re a racer and expectations soar higher than the Vegas skyline, it’s harder to keep it cool.
The Bottom Line: Team Dynamics
In the end, it’s not about favoritism—though it seemed to play a part—it’s about listening and teamwork (which is ironic for a team called Ferrari). Leclerc summed it all up well: “It’s okay though. I’ve already said too much. It’s frustrating, but I understand that no one understands.” Well said, mate! Just don’t go forgetting to turn off your radio next time or you’ll be revealing all your secrets! Like when I told my mum I was going to study law instead of pursuing comedy. Oops!
Following the thrilling race in Las Vegas, Charles Leclerc expressed profound disappointment regarding his teammate’s disregard for pre-established team orders and agreements. The Monaco native was visibly frustrated, feeling that while he extended an olive branch to Carlos Sainz, his cooperation was met with betrayal as Sainz took full advantage of the situation. This tension not only persisted during the race but also boiled over in a tense exchange over the radio.
Ferrari enjoyed a nearly flawless start as Charles Leclerc surged into second place, while Carlos Sainz managed to fend off challenges from Pierre Gasly. The duo initially closed in on George Russell, leading the race, but their hopes quickly faded as tire degradation became evident, ending their pursuit prematurely.
“I was really optimistic about our car’s performance with the tires, believing we had an edge over the others,” Leclerc reflected on his aggressive driving strategy, where he came close to overtaking Russell. “However, I may have pushed too hard early on, which cost us during the first stint. Our pace improved in the subsequent stints, but ultimately it wasn’t sufficient.”
Despite acknowledging that Ferrari wasn’t competitive against Mercedes during the race, Leclerc found it unacceptable that Sainz failed to reciprocate the favor he had extended earlier. He recalled offering Sainz the opportunity to pass when tire troubles arose, but when the tables turned, he felt Sainz left him hanging.
After the second pit stop, Leclerc found himself ahead of Sainz as they exited the pits. Ferrari had agreed beforehand not to engage in any intra-team battles until the race concluded, prioritizing tire conservation instead—a strategy that many teams struggled to manage.
“Carlos was instructed not to overtake you. However, it will be very close; you will likely emerge just before him. He’s been told not to pressure you, so just be mindful of your tires,” Leclerc’s race engineer, Bryan Bozzi, communicated as the duo left the pits. Nevertheless, Sainz quickly got ahead, undermining the team’s strategy. “Focus on your tires,” Bozzi urged, as Sainz slid into the lead position.
This turn of events infuriated Leclerc, who retorted over the radio, “Maybe try saying it in Spanish!” showcasing his simmering frustration. After the race concluded, it was apparent that the tension still lingered within him.
“Pick up the lumps, please,” he snapped back at Bozzi, to which the engineer replied, “Yes, whatever you want, as always,” with a hint of sarcasm aimed at Leclerc’s willingness to always comply with team demands, despite his internal struggle about fairness. Bozzi reassured him, “Charles, you did your job. Thank you.”
Feeling the weight of the situation, Leclerc replied tersely, “Yes, I’ve done my job, but being nice just ends up being a hassle. It’s not even about being nice; it’s about mutual respect. I know I should remain silent, but it’s fundamentally the same issue!” His outburst elicited concern from team principal Fred Vasseur, who attempted to calm him down, saying “Charles, Charles!”
“It’s understandable. Yes, you did a commendable job for the team,” Bozzi continued to encourage him. “But please remember to gather the lumps.”
“Yeah, yeah, these fucking lumps! What else do you want?” Leclerc replied, unwittingly leaving his radio transmission open and revealing the depth of his frustration. He later entered the media zone with a calmer demeanor, though still recalling how he aided Sainz during the first stint, yet felt that the favor had not been returned.
“It’s alright. Each time such frustrations arise, it’s essential to note that outsiders lack full context. For me, it’s unnecessary to delve into the specifics of our pre-race discussions,” Leclerc stated, addressing the underlying drama while trying to maintain composure. “While it was indicative of my frustration, it didn’t alter the team’s overall performance. It’s simply a personal annoyance.”
When directly questioned about favoritism towards one driver over another, Leclerc clarified, “It’s not about the team showing preference. It’s about whether the guidance we received was followed. That being said, I’ve said quite enough already. It’s frustrating, but I recognize that understanding can be complex.”
How might the tensions between Leclerc and Sainz affect Ferrari’s performance in upcoming races?
Seemed to get the hint that Leclerc’s loyalty to team orders was wearing thin.
As the post-race media frenzy ensued, Leclerc was careful not to throw his teammate under the bus completely. He offered a semblance of diplomacy, stating, _”From my point of view, it makes no sense for me to go into the details of what we discussed.”_
Yet, it was evident that beneath the surface, the tension was palpable. Leclerc’s assertion that it was _”just frustrating from a rider’s point of view”_ further illustrated the emotional rollercoaster he was experiencing. Example after example of hismanship and the clash of egos within the Ferrari camp unfolded like a reality show—thick with rivalry and high stakes.
In discussing regrets about the perceived favoritism within the team, Leclerc clarified, _”It’s not about the team preferring one or the other. These are things that were told to us and not respected.”_ His frustration was not just about individual competitiveness but rather the lack of cohesion and respect for the pre-established strategy was irking him the most.
It’s a tale as old as time in the world of Formula 1: the clash of talented individuals versus the greater good of the team. Leclerc’s strong stance highlights the challenges Ferrari faces in balancing individual ambitions with the team’s collective goals.
As fans, we’re left wondering, how will the dynamic shift in future races? Will Ferrari manage to synchronize their drivers’ ambitions into a unified front, or will internal rifts continue to unravel their potential? One thing is for sure: the drama at Ferrari is far from over, and we can expect more riveting stories to unfold in the coming Grand Prix events.
So, let’s sit tight and watch how this high-speed soap opera unwinds! 🚗💨