Charles Leclerc grills Carlos Sainz's F1 engineer after TENSE fight at Italian Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Screencap — Photo: © LAT Images

Ferrari

Leclerc grills Sainz's F1 engineer after TENSE fight at Italian Grand Prix

Jay Winter

Tuesday 5 September 2023 22:57

Ferrari star Charles Leclerc brought a touch of humour to the intensely competitive atmosphere at the Italian Grand Prix by playfully grilling his team-mate Carlos Sainz's race engineers after a heart-pounding race.

Leclerc and Sainz had been engaged in a fierce battle for the final spot on the podium behind the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

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As the laps dwindled down and the competition heated up, Ferrari radioed Leclerc, urging him to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary risks in their intra-team duel.

However, Leclerc's determination to seize victory remained unyielding. On the final lap at the iconic Temple of Speed, he relentlessly pursued his Spanish teammate.

Leclerc locked up his tyres going into turn one, enveloping the scene in a cloud of tire smoke and nearly colliding with Sainz.

Easing the tension

The Variante del Rettifilo witnessed this heart-stopping moment, leaving Ferrari's staff and fans holding their breaths. Fortunately, both Ferrari SF-23s made it through the final lap unscathed, with Sainz securing third place and Leclerc finishing just behind in fourth.

In a charming display of camaraderie, Leclerc approached Sainz's engineers and mechanics at parc fermé, wearing a grin that belied the intense battle they had just witnessed.

Leclerc playfully quizzed them, asking, "Did I make you sweat?"

Just a little bit @Charles_Leclerc! ? #ItalianGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/BK9gHwowKS
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) September 3, 2023

Although Ferrari weren't able to defend their pole position from the unrelenting Red Bulls, the Tifosi were able to celebrate a podium place in their home country.

The third and fourth-place finish also means that Maranello-based outfit move up to third place in the constructors' championship, leapfrogging Aston Martin.