Charles Leclerc ‘won’t change his driving style’ to match teammate Carlos Sainz’s pace despite the Spaniard’s Singapore GP victory

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had an underwhelming start to the 2023 season as Ferrari fell behind Red Bull. The Monegasque driver had the upper hand on his teammate throughout 2022 and even the first half of this season. However, Sainz seems to have gained an advantage in the latter half of the season as he won the Singapore GP. Now, Leclerc has made it clear that he won’t change his way of driving the SF23.

The 25-year-old pointed out that Carlos Sainz has been the quicker Ferrari in recent rounds due to the understeer of the car. Sainz can bring more pace out of the car via understeer. On the other hand, Leclerc liked to have more oversteer. As such, the Monegasque would look to find a fix to this issue. He told Corriere, “Carlos prefers a little more understeer, I prefer oversteer. it’s up to me to find a temporary solution, because the car is going strong with understeer.”

However, Charles Leclerc was adamant that he would not try to change his driving style to resemble that of his teammate. The 25-year-old believed that his preference for oversteer would show results in the long run. Leclerc said, “But I won’t completely change my driving style: I’m convinced that oversteer is faster in the long run.”

Discover: Commentator from Max Verstappen’s country RIPS apart Charles Leclerc over Singapore GP performance

Is Charles Leclerc falling behind Carlos Sainz?

Since Formula 1 returned from the summer break, Carlos Sainz has demonstrated impressive pace. The Spanish driver managed to fend off Charles Leclerc at Ferrari’s home race to bag a podium finish in front of the Tifosi at Monza. Moreover, Sainz pulled off an incredible drive at the Marina Bay Circuit to bring home the team’s first win since Austria 2022.

As such, Leclerc might start to feel the pressure from the other side of the garage. The Monegasque driver was often seen as the lead driver at Maranello who would take the Prancing Horse back to glory. However, it seems that Charles Leclerc is facing a stiff challenge from his teammate when it comes to being the faster driver at Ferrari.

Nevertheless, Charles Leclerc has ample time to rethink and bounce back in the remaining rounds of the season. He needs to adjust to the SF23 and get the most out of the package. The Japanese GP would be a big test for Leclerc as he competes with Carlos Sainz to be the Ferrari that brings home the most points.

In case you missed it:

• Max Verstappen expects Lando Norris’s McLaren to be his biggest rival at Suzuka GP
• Zak Brown gives his take on Lando Norris’ wishes of pairing up with Max Verstappen at Red Bull

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