Ralf Schumacher claims ‘sensible’ Carlos Sainz is the number one driver at Ferrari over Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz is the only non-Red Bull driver to have won a race in 2023.

Ralf Schumacher claims ‘sensible’ Carlos Sainz is the number one driver at Ferrari over Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc (Via IMAGO)

The debate of who the dominant driver is at Ferrari has been a long one. While Charles Leclerc has been the favorite for a long time, Carlos Sainz’s last few races have shown he won’t settle for second place. His victory in Singapore and P3 at Monza displayed Sainz’s impeccable skills and instinct. Recently, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher gave his verdict on the debate.

Schumacher claimed that Sainz is the number one driver at Ferrari. He said Sainz is much more sensible than Leclerc and does not make as many mistakes. However, Schumacher did say that Leclerc is much more talented than Sainz, but Sainz contributes a lot more to the team on a wider note.

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“Carlos Sainz is the clear number 1. He [Leclerc] is very fast, but, in the end, he does not do it well. Charles wants to make a difference with all his strength, and then he crashes his car and also makes mistakes. Sainz is more sensible,” Schumacher said on the Formel1.de Podcast (H&T: Marca).

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Sainz is 15 points ahead of Leclerc in the WDC standings at P5. While it is true that Leclerc has been struggling lately, it should not be forgotten that he was a championship contender only one season prior. As Sainz strengthens his position at Ferrari day by day, it will surely serve as a motivation factor for Leclerc to bounce back in the game.

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Carlos Sainz rubbishes the rumors about a rift between him and Charles Leclerc

After Sainz and Leclerc’s wheel-to-wheel last-lap battle at Monza, several rumors emerged about a possible discord between the Ferrari duo. The rumors came amidst the team negotiating with both drivers for an extension. However, Sainz has recently trashed all the rumors and claimed everything is fine between them.

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc (Credits: Sports Illustrated)

Sainz said that the number one priority for both of them is Ferrari. He said that there are no favorites, and both of them share a good relationship. He claimed that the fans solely invent the hierarchy between the drivers and does not exist within the team.

“There have been no favorites at Ferrari this year or last. Between Leclerc and me, there is a good relationship. There is no number one or two. It is an invention of the press or the fans,” said Sainz.

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