Heading into the Italian GP last weekend, it had become quite common to see Charles Leclerc as the leading Ferrari driver in a race. Whether it was based on merit or because of team orders, Carlos Sainz usually had to sit back and watch things play out. That was until the Italian GP, where the Spaniard ensured he was ahead of Leclerc and given the preference in team orders. The thing is, the team orders never came, leaving Carlos Sainz Sr., aka Papa Sainz, furious.

Towards the end of the race, with P3 up for grabs, Sainz was in the leading Ferrari in pursuit by Leclerc. The Scuderia should’ve ideally given team orders asking Leclerc to hold the position. Even though Sainz came out on top in the end, Papa Sainz expressed his frustration with Ferrari, saying, “It’s odd. Sometimes they decide some things, and sometimes others.” Despite this, Leclerc’s supremacy at Ferrari might be in danger.

After a shift in power dynamics, Charles Leclerc staked his claim

The Italian GP is special for Ferrari—it’s the Scuderia’s home race. While Leclerc has been its golden boy since joining the team in 2019, Carlos Sainz gave the Tifosi what they wanted this season. After starting on the pole, the Red Bulls proved too fast for the Ferraris, leaving them to fight for P3. If Ferrari had stuck to what it had been doing in the past few races, there would’ve been no fight between Sainz in P3 and Leclerc in P4. But that didn’t happen, prompting Papa Sainz to say, “It’s always my son who asks if he can attack. Carlos is always the one who has to understand why he can’t overtake if he’s behind. But when Leclerc is behind, the positions are not fixed.” 

Tensions had already been high at Ferrari. Team orders previously favored Leclerc, qualifying overtakes that left the Monegasque seething at his teammate. Although the race in Monza might’ve helped tip Ferrari’s scales in Sainz’s favor after his stellar performance, Leclerc didn’t back down. Instead of showing his supremacy on track, the Monegasque chose a post-race fan meet to do so and appealed to the Tifosi’s emotions.  

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After Nerve-Wracking Battle in Front of 304,134 Tifosi, “Ferrari Driver Number 1” Debate Stands Settled

Leclerc was asked what it means to be a Ferrari driver. He replied, “[Driving for Ferrari] is a dream come true. I’ve always been a huge Ferrari fan. Growing up, it was all about the red car for me. You dream about being in Formula 1 and also a Ferrari driver. So, now I couldn’t be happier.” As much as Sainz jumped at the opportunity to drive for Ferrari, it was never his ultimate goal. When Ferrari asked, he said yes. But in Leclerc’s case, this was the ultimate dream (apart from winning the championship with the Scuderia). Just because driving for Ferrari means so much to him, it’s also posing a problem for Leclerc.

Leclerc is putting too much pressure on himself

Sebastian Vettel once said, “Everyone is a Ferrari fan. Even if they say they’re not, they are Ferrari fans.” As much as supporting Ferrari meant to Leclerc while growing up, somewhere along the way, that passion for support changed to a passion for driving for the team. Once he achieved that, it was obvious that he had certain dreams he wanted to fulfill during his time at Maranello. According to two-time champion Emerson Fittipaldi, the pressure to achieve those results is giving Sainz the upper hand. 

In an interview reported by Formula Passion, Fittipaldi said, “I see that Leclerc is under more pressure than Sainz, and this tension comes from within. Charles wants to achieve certain results, but they don’t arrive. On the other hand, Sainz seems to be more consistent when it comes to finishing the race than Leclerc. When a driver starts to generate too much pressure on himself, it is the worst thing he can do. We know that Charles is talented, but in my opinion, he needs to be more relaxed.”

Watch This Story: What has become an Incessant Problem for Charles Leclerc & Carlos Sainz in Ferrari’s F1 Challenger? 

Who do you think has the top-dog status at Ferrari right now? And who will finish ahead in 2023: Carlos Sainz or Charles Leclerc?