Le tensions between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz reached a new peak during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a race that should have consolidated Ferrari's comeback in the fight for the Constructors' title: instead, the duel on the track and the disagreements that arose on team radio highlighted internal cracks that Fred Vasseur, team principal of the Scuderia, could not ignore.
A rivalry that ignites
The key episode occurred in the final stages of the race. Leclerc, after the final pit stop, found himself behind his teammate Sainz, but was told by the Ferrari pit wall that the Spaniard should not put him under pressure. Despite this, Sainz made the overtaking move at Turn 4, securing the podium. Leclerc's reaction was immediate and furious: a frustrated team radio, culminating in an explosion of curses, revealed just how deep the rivalry between the two is.
It wasn't an easy race for Sainz either, forced to navigate uncertain strategic decisions, such as a last-minute aborted pit stop, and to give up the position to Leclerc at another stage of the race. However, the Spaniard took the opportunity to finish ahead of his teammate, a move that reignited tensions within the Ferrari garage.
Vasseur imposes truce
According to journalist Leo Turrini, team principal Frederic Vasseur wasted no time in calling both drivers for an immediate meeting. The Frenchman's message was clear: Ferrari cannot afford internal disagreements, especially at a crucial time like this, with the Constructors' title still hanging in the balance.
“No one is asking you to be best friends,” Vasseur reportedly said during the meeting, “but Ferrari demands loyalty and collaboration. There is too important a goal at stake to be compromised by personal squabbles.”
Ferrari trails McLaren by 24 points in the Constructors' Championship and, with just two races remaining, every point is crucial. A failure to cooperate between the two drivers would not only undermine the team's efforts, but would also be a serious blow to the image of the Prancing Horse.
A pact for the future
Leclerc and Sainz, at least officially, seem to have heeded their team principal’s message. “It seems the two drivers have promised to work together,” Turrini revealed. But it remains to be seen whether the pact will hold up under the pressure of the final two races of the season, with McLaren on the run and Red Bull ready to exploit any misstep.
Vasseur knows it well: Ferrari cannot afford to lose any more ground. The fight for the Constructors is open, but it requires discipline and unity. Only in this way will the Scuderia be able to close a difficult season with its head held high and, perhaps, lay the foundations for a more serene future.
Source statements: Sports Newspaper
