Vasseur Downplays Leclerc-Sainz Friction at Spanish GP, Asserts Team Unity Amid Performance Struggles

Frederic Vasseur dismisses growing friction between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz

Frederic Vasseur responds to Charles Leclerc's allegation that Carlos Sainz was responsible for his fourth-place miss in Barcelona.

Ferrari Formula 1 team head Frederic Vasseur has brushed aside inquiries regarding the escalating strain between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz during the Spanish Grand Prix.

Leclerc and Sainz appeared to be engaged in a heated conversation post-race in the parc fermé area.

The driver from Monaco was irritated by Sainz's maneuver to pass him during the initial laps of the competition.

Leclerc believed that preserving their tyres was a strategy both drivers should have adhered to, a tactic agreed upon prior to the race, whereas Sainz was keen on taking an aggressive approach to fully leverage the advantages of the fresh soft tyre.

Following the competition, Leclerc took a jab at Sainz for attempting to stand out in his home country, and considering his current contract circumstances, it's understandable that his fellow racer aimed to leave an impression.

Sainz countered by stating that Leclerc often voices too many complaints, following Leclerc's comment over the team radio that their recent on-track skirmish had caused him to lose significant time, hindering his ability to overtake George Russell on the last lap.

Discussing his perspective on the matter, Vasseur shared with journalists in Barcelona, "In my opinion, there are at least ten instances from the race where we fell short by just a fraction of a second."

"In a brief moment, my apologies, or those that followed when Carlos released him quite effortlessly, subsequently."

"We fell short by a few tenths of a second over two or three laps. Let’s talk it over and avoid jumping to conclusions based on the driver's initial remarks right after he got out of the car."

The weekend proved to be a letdown for Ferrari, who found themselves ranked third in speed after the Barcelona event, despite introducing an upgraded package.

Although Vasseur hasn't demonstrated exceptional pace on the circuit, he is pleased with the advancements achieved.

"Indeed, we are pleased with the figures we receive," he continued. "Initially, there's a universal enhancement. This implies it's not merely about introducing something new to leap ahead. Rather, if you fail to introduce anything, you'll likely fall behind."

"Currently, everyone is contributing components for every couple of events. Occasionally, you might receive the lineup of our upcoming releases, though it's primarily focused on the aero aspect. Remember, our development extends beyond just the aero."

"Occasionally, we also require one or two preceding events to fully optimize what we're working with. There's been a noticeable alignment in performance over the past year."

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