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Leclerc and Sainz asked about team orders: "Don't want to think about it"
- GPblog.com
Ferrari has yet to state out loud that Charles Leclerc is the absolute number one in the team. It has been talked about all season, but team principal Mattia Binotto refuses to take sides (yet). Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were also asked about it in the run-up to the French Grand Prix.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Leclerc says he is not concerned with it at all, nor does he feel the need to be appointed team leader. "“I mean, I don’t want to think about this. I mean, my job is to drive the car and I will try to drive the car the fastest way possible, and then these choices are not made by me. It’s more Mattia who will take care of these choices."
Before the Austrian Grand Prix, the difference between Leclerc and Sainz in the world championship was very minimal, but with the Monegasque winning at the Red Bull Ring and his teammate not scoring any points due to a DNF, the difference has now increased to 37 points. We are exactly halfway through the season so there is still plenty of time, but to stay ahead of Verstappen it may be necessary for Ferrari to make a choice.
Sainz free to race
Sainz stressed that there will be no team orders this weekend at Paul Ricard. "I have not heard anything like that yet. I come every weekend knowing that I can fight freely with Charles, although you always have more respect for your stablemate. I come here with the same mentality," he is quoted by Spain's Marca.