Leclerc and Sainz must compromise own battle for good of Ferrari

Ferrari

Leclerc and Sainz must compromise own battle for good of Ferrari

Sainz partners Leclerc as Ferrari aim to return to the top of the field

Ewan Gale

Saturday 6 March 2021 12:30

Charles Leclerc has warned he and new Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz must not become embroiled in their own intra-team battle as they try to push the Scuderia forward.

Ferrari is playing catch up this season after finishing sixth last year - the Scuderia's worst campaign since 1980 - but hopes have been invigorated by Sainz's arrival.

Whilst any driver pairing aims to beat each other on track, the Monégasque has insisted the duo must find a middle ground in order to protect the team's aspirations.

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Leclerc knows what it is like to let a personal feud overshadow the needs of a team given the battle he endured with Sebastian Vettel, notably when the duo both retired from the 2019 Brazilian GP after a collision, as well as the German's retirement in last season's race in Austria following another coming together.

“I think it is a compromise that we need to find ourselves," said Leclerc.

"In the end, it is very clear in our mind that we need to push for the team and this is always the case anyway.

“Carlos wants to beat me, I want to beat him, too, and once we are on track we will try to be careful whenever we fight each other and always try to have the vision of what we could do better for the team."

Ferrari will introduce a new power unit after last year's disastrous showing, with the new engine expected to claw back some of the deficit created by last season's underpowered unit.

With other areas improved aerodynamically to absolve the apparent dragginess of the SF-1000 as well as the enforced cuts to downforce for this year, Leclerc pointed to the need for clarity when aiding development as a key area of his new relationship with Sainz.

“I think what is most important is that we manage to separate what happens on track and off track," he added.

"Every time we are out of the car we need to work together to try and push the team forward for the development and the same way also in the car to some extent with the strategy.

“I think it is a fine line that every team-mate needs to find. Carlos is very competitive but, as he made clear earlier, he is also here for the benefit of the team as I am and we will have to play it smart on that one.”