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Binotto: "They'll have equal opportunity, certainly at the start of the season"
- GPblog.com
Carlos Sainz appeared for the first time on Friday in Ferrari red in Maranello, together with Charles Leclerc. Mattia Binotto sat between them and assured them that none of the drivers would receive preferential treatment.
"There is nothing written in the contract of Charles being the [team] leader,” Binotto is quoted by Motorsport.com. "I think that the two will be free to fight on track. I think it's important that they are not damaging themselves, that is clear, but I think that they will have equal opportunity, certainly at the start of the season.”
Binotto tackles it differently compared to 2019
After the arrival of Charles Leclerc at Ferrari in 2019, problems in this area arose almost immediately. The team had identified Sebastian Vettel as the clear number one at the beginning of that season, but Leclerc was faster after just a few races. This caused friction that affected Ferrari for the rest of the season. Binotto doesn't want to make that mistake again, so wait and see.
"Our top priority, as I said in the past and will remain, is to optimise the team's points, so it may be that in some races, it will be important that the two are somehow helping team decisions or accepting team decisions. Later in the season, if there will be a clear advantage of one driver to the other and that one of the two drivers may achieve an objective which is not possible for the other, I think it will be an open discussion between the two."