Binotto: "Understand why people thought Sainz was not a team player"

Disappointment for Leclerc and Ferrari

Sainz won his first race of his F1 career after also scoring pole position on the Saturday. The Spaniard won a particularly tumultuous race that once again challenged Ferrari's strategy department. Ferrari was in a difficult situation with Sainz chasing his first win and Leclerc leading with damage during the safety car. In the end, Sainz won the race and Leclerc finished only fourth. On Ferrari's media website the team boss explained that there was not much the team could do about it.

After the race Binotto already explained why Ferrari chose this strategy. On the website the Italian added that it was a similar situation to Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi 2021, who was also leading when the safety car came out in the closing stages. The team boss understands Leclerc's frustration, as he is expected to challenge Max Verstappen for the title this year. Binotto said; "When you are well out in front in a race with a few laps to go and then you don't win, the disappointment is very natural. It is also our disappointment; we win together and lose together."

Binotto does not seem to include the victory on the other side of the garage in his argument about winning and losing, and continues: "We are as frustrated with this result as he [Leclerc] is. The way he drove yesterday was great and showed what a strong driver he is. Charles deserved to win the race if it wasn't for the safety car."

Sainz was a team player

At the restart Sainz did not heed his team's call to keep ten car lengths of distance behind his teammate. Binotto says Sainz did not ignore the team orders despite what the media said : "Absolutely not. He made it clear to us that he had to defend himself against the pressure from behind. In doing so he was also defending our goal of staying at the front. As a team we appreciate that and we are alligned. I can imagine that without this information people might think Carlos was not acting as a team player." According to Binotto, Sainz showed very clearly he was a team player by giving his position to Leclerc earlier in the race without hesitation or complaint.