Charles Leclerc: “[Carlos] Sainz Beats Me and Then I Push to Beat Him”

Every driver that enters the F1 championship enters with the expectation of winning it. And while the championship is their goal, not everyone wins it. The least a driver wants to do or is expected to do is to beat their teammate, the ultimate test of a driver, beating someone in the same car. And while Charles Leclerc has had somewhat of an upper hand in the past, Sainz is now showing his full potential and giving Leclerc a run for the lead driver. 

Amidst all this, the Monegasque has come out to explain how Sainz pushes him to improve and vice versa. Many considered that Mercedes have the best driver lineup for the 2024 season with Hamilton and Russell but looking at current form, we’d say it’s Ferrari. Charles Leclerc drove the wheels off the car to solidify his place at Ferrari, with Hamilton coming in and Carlos Sainz driving to prove and lure other teams to offer him a seat. 

There’s nothing more than beating their teammate that both Sainz and Leclerc would want at this moment. Sainz came back from an appendix surgery and won the Australian GP. Leclerc, on the other hand, was super critical of his performance in Australia. Just shows how much the Scuderia drivers are pushing themselves with Leclerc wanting to prove that Ferrari made the right choice by retaining him and Sainz making a point that the Italian stable messed up by letting him go.

Nonetheless, Leclerc believes that this kind of competition has been going on at Ferrari since Sainz signed and it pushes both drivers to improve. As per Formulapassion.it, Charles Leclerc said, “Carlos in Australia played a better weekend than mine. I was not perfect, neither in qualifying nor in the second race stint where I had more tire degradation than expected. Basically, it has been three years since a race in which Sainz beats me and then I push to beat him to the next one. In this way, we improve. It’s very stimulating to have a boxing mate like Sainz.”

Leclerc also doesn’t seem concerned about Sainz’s future in F1 as he believes that the Spaniard will for sure find a seat. Let’s see what he said. 

Charles Leclerc on Carlos Sainz being in talks with many teams

Audi seemed to be the only prospect for Carlos Sainz after Hamilton’s Ferrari move left him without a seat for 2025. However, with the way the driver market is going and how Sainz is pulling off the brilliant drives, many doors seemed to have been opened for the Spaniard. Red Bull, Mercedes, and Aston Martin all seem like potential teams for Sainz. Leclerc seems confident about Sainz finding a seat for 2025, as he gave hints about his teammate’s future.

Charles Leclerc suggested that Sainz is in talks with many teams as he said, “I think everybody knows Carlos’ worth in the paddock. He’s one of the highest-rated drivers in the paddock. He’s been extremely strong every time he was in a Formula 1 car. And he has shown it multiple times. So I don’t think he’s underrated for that. I think everybody knows Carlos’ worth.”

He added, “And that’s why I’ve said many times that I’m not too worried about his future because I’m sure that many, many team principals are… He doesn’t say it, but for sure they are speaking with him.”

Read More: Angela Cullen Sends 1-Word Message to Carlos Sainz Amid F1 Comeback After Leaving Lewis Hamilton’s Side

What do you think? Which Ferrari driver will finish higher in the standings this year?