Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz duelled on the race track. © APA/afp / JOSEP LAGO

Sainz and Leclerc argue: “He complains too often”

After the race in Spain, there was a quarrel between Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. The dispute was triggered by a duel at the end of the second lap, when the two drivers finally came into contact on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

June 24, 2024

From: dpa

"It's a shame because the team had told us before the race that we should save the tires at this point in the race. That's exactly what I did in the last corner, which is a really good corner for that," said Leclerc angrily after the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. The Monegasque damaged his front wing in the incident and ended up finishing fifth, just ahead of Sainz.

"It's a bit unnecessary, but I also understand that it's his home race and an important moment in his career, so he probably wanted to do something spectacular. But I was probably not the right person to do that," Leclerc remarked pointedly. Sainz reacted angrily. "I think he complains too often after a race about something," he said to Leclerc. "I passed Charles because I didn't know if he made a mistake or if he just wanted to control his race a bit too much."

Sainz also clashes with Hamilton

Sainz has to leave Ferrari at the end of the year and will be replaced by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. The Spaniard also clashed with the record world champion on the track. In the first third of the race, he felt he was pushed off course by Hamilton in a duel and did not understand why the Englishman was not penalized.

In a dispute: Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc © ANSA / ALEJANDRO GARCIA

"I think all the overtaking was very close. That's how it should be, isn't it?" said Hamilton, who finished third on the podium for the first time this year. "I think the wheels brushed, but it was fair. I gave him space. And it was right on the edge, there was a piece of paper between us."