Renowned Italian journalist claims there are ‘stomach aches’ between Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc at Ferrai

Carlos Sainz replaced Sebastian Vettel in 2021 as he became Charles Leclerc's new teammate.

Renowned Italian journalist claims there are ‘stomach aches’ between Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc at Ferrai

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz (Credits: Racingline.hu)

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have been teammates since 2021. While it is no secret that Leclerc is the driver in focus for Ferrari, Sainz has never been too far behind. Both drivers’ contracts run out in 2024. While Leclerc is most likely to stay in Maranello, Sainz might leave the Italian outfit as reports claim he is in a small conflict with Leclerc.

Sainz has been linked with a move to Alpine after 2023. As per Italian journalist Leo Turrini, it is ‘obvious’ that the Ferrari duo have a rift between them. It has been reported on several occasions that Sainz is unhappy with the preferential treatment Leclerc gets over him, so a move away from Leclerc’s shadow does not seem very far-fetched for the Spaniard.

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“It is obvious that there are stomach aches between Leclerc and Sainz even before it is evident… for any driver, the teammate is the first rival. I don’t see conspiracies, but it is objectively a delicate situation,” Turrini wrote in his blog Profondo Rosso.

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Leclerc currently stands in fifth place in the WDC standings, two places and seven points ahead of Sainz. With Leclerc’s once-in-a-while commendable performances and Sainz’s consistency, it will be interesting to see which of the two comes out on top at the end of the season.

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Charles Leclerc rejects everyone else as he pushes for renewal with Ferrari

Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc (Credits: Autosport)

Leclerc’s contract with Ferrari runs out in 2024. Due to Ferrari’s sub-par strategies and reliability, the Monegasque was linked with rival teams like Mercedes and Red Bull, both of which would have vacancies in the next year or two. But he has again proved his loyalty to Ferrari, as his priority is to win the championship with them.

Acknowledging Ferrari’s setbacks, Leclerc said the team feels like home to him. He said both parties are not worried about the contract delay and are focusing on getting their 2023 season back on track. He also admitted that while Ferrari are doing their best to improve their car, their goal is to be the second-best behind Red Bull, as he believes them to be unbeatable this season.

“Of course, I think every driver has considered their different options, once they get the [possibility]. But I have a huge love of Ferrari. And my first target and my first dream is to become a world champion with Ferrari, more than anything else,” Leclerc told Motorsport.com.

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