Charles Leclerc completed his participation in the Sprint race of the 2024 Chinese GP with a respectable fourth place. Despite his strong performance, Leclerc expressed dissatisfaction with the aggressive behavior of his teammate, Carlos Sainz, during their intense battle on the track.
In the final stages of the race, Leclerc closely followed Sainz as they approached a specific corner. It was at this moment that Sainz displayed overly aggressive defensive tactics, resulting in Leclerc being forced off the track. However, Leclerc quickly retaliated and managed to regain fourth place from Sainz. After the race, Leclerc did not hold back in criticizing his teammate, stating: «He is more focused on fighting against me than against other competitors.»
Leclerc’s strong reaction clearly indicates his anger at Sainz’s actions during the wheel-to-wheel battle. The post-race meeting at Ferrari is expected to be filled with intense discussions and possible conflicts between the two drivers.
Although Leclerc has expressed his discontent with Sainz’s behavior, he also acknowledged that his teammate crossed the line. As mentioned earlier, Sainz pushed Leclerc off the track during a specific corner. Leclerc believes that similar situations may arise during tomorrow’s main Grand Prix, considering the exciting nature of the Shanghai circuit.
Throughout the current season, Sainz has proven to be the stronger driver at Ferrari. However, Leclerc’s success in overtaking Sainz during the Sprint race set the stage for an intriguing qualifying session and race at the upcoming Chinese GP. Fans can anticipate more intense battles between the two Ferrari drivers in the future.