Leclerc after Ferrari blunder: "No resentment, just disappointment"

Unrest within the ranks at Ferrari

Sainz took both his first pole position and his first win of his F1 career and yet the mood at Ferrari is not very happy. Again there was controversy surrounding the strategy and there seemed to be unrest within the team. Team principal Mattia Binotto told the press that Leclerc deserved to win because the Monegasque was stronger. The rumours of unrest within the team were fuelled by the appearance of a very measured team photo. Former Ferrari press boss Alberto Antonini said he had heard from a reliable source that some of the staff refused to be photographed celebrating the victory. 

Leclerc refutes rumours

During the FIA press conference prior to the Austrian Grand Prix, Leclerc spoke out. The Monegasque debunked rumours of unrest within the team and told how he felt about the 'bad' outcome of the previous race. Leclerc: "It's sad to see all this. It's not what's going on. We are together as a team, we always have been. Difficult races make no difference to that. Of course we were disappointed after last weekend, but that was not the reason why not everyone was in the team photo."

The reason was that Sainz was not yet ready for the first photo opportunity. In the end, the moment had to be postponed. "Half of the team in the photo also ended up missing the flight," Leclerc said. In all likelihood, therefore, some of the team had gone to the airport before the photo opportunity took place. Leclerc concluded: "There is no resentment, there is only disappointment. Everyone is happy for Carlos though and so is everyone in the team."