Ferrari star Charles Leclerc admits ‘hurt’ Carlos Sainz caused in 2023 F1 season

Follow us on Google Discover

Charles Leclerc has now revealed the pain he felt from Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz becoming the only non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix across the 2023 F1 season.

It was a Red Bull whitewash this year as Max Verstappen won 19 of the 22 races and Sergio Perez took home two wins. Only when the Milton Keynes squad struggled at the Singapore GP in September did the door open for a rival to win, and Sainz took the chance for Ferrari.

The 29-year-old drove a faultless race around the Marina Bay Street Circuit to defend from Lando Norris. He perfectly judged the gap to the McLaren driver in second as Sainz smartly let his old teammate stay within DRS range so Mercedes’ George Russell was not his threat.

Charles Leclerc reveals his ‘hurt’ from Carlos Sainz winning the Singapore GP

Sainz had initially defended his lead at the Singapore GP from Leclerc before the first safety car period. But the Ferrari Driver Academy product could not maintain his threat as the race unfolded. So, to see Sainz win the only race Red Bull could not in 2023 brought Leclerc pain.

“That hurts, especially in a season like this, in which there was only this one chance” Leclerc told Auto Motor und Sport.

“That’s where I didn’t get the qualification right, which ultimately cost me the race. But it was absolutely important for the team because, as a team, we did everything right.

“The thing with the soft tires was my idea. Not to help Carlos. But because it was the best thing for our race. In moments like this, you have to accept that the team comes first. They would do the same for me if I was ahead.”

How did Charles Leclerc and Ferrari’s Singapore Grand Prix unfold?

Sainz had beaten Russell to pole position at the Singapore GP by just 0.072 seconds. Leclerc finished qualifying another 0.007 seconds back from the Spaniard as 0.079 seconds covered the top three. But a split in strategies at Ferrari ultimately cost Leclerc his chance at the win.

Ferrari gave Leclerc a set of soft compound Pirelli tyres to try and get the jump on Russell at the start. It paid off, as well, as the 26-year-old took P2 around the outside of the Mercedes driver into Turn 1. But with softer rubber, Leclerc had to nurse his tyres tucked behind Sainz.

Leclerc also lost positions when Ferrari called both drivers in for their first pit stop under the first safety car. He fell back after the Scuderia told the Monegasque to create a five-second gap to Sainz. Ferrari also then held Leclerc in the box as Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton drove by.

Ferrari would only offer their two drivers one pit stop throughout the Singapore GP, leaving Leclerc effectively sacrificed for Sainz. The Monte Carlo native ultimately finished the race in P4, 21.177 seconds behind his race-winning teammate, after fending off Verstappen late on.

It would have been P5, as well, had Russell not crashed out of the race on the final lap while hounding Norris for second. Hamilton overtook Leclerc after making a second pit stop in the closing stages. The Mercedes hero would eventually finish just 0.457 seconds behind Norris.