Carlos Sainz not worried about the Vasseur-Leclerc relationship

Between Charles Leclerc and Frédéric Vasseur, there has always been a special relationship. The French manager, very involved in the world of promotion formulas, has never hidden having closely followed the progress of little Charles when the latter was working for Merlin in karting.

There was also no surprise to see Leclerc crowned GP3 Series champion in 2016 with ART Grand Prix, the French team led by Vasseur. If the title of champion of F2 was obtained within the Italian team Prema the following year, these two met again in 2018 at Sauber, during Leclerc's first year in F1. That of the revelation and which earned him a starting wheel at Ferrari 2019 soon. 

So obviously, when Frederic Vasseur was appointed head of Scuderia Ferrari replacing Mattia Binotto whose Carlos Sainz was quite close, the Spaniard was able to wonder: will the Vasseur-Leclerc relationship be a problem for him?

The Iberian is visibly confident that this will not be the case. “No, because I don’t think I’m starting from scratch”, he told the Italian media autosprint. “As I said, I'm sure I'll get on well with him and he'll be happy with me when he sees me working, and my relationship with the team and Charles. I think the fact that he has a well-established relationship with Leclerc will be very useful for everyone to speed up their adaptation here. »

Sainz has big ambitions

Carlos Sainz, a driver as fast on the track as he is a good internal communicator, also revealed that he had been in Vasseur's little papers when the Frenchman was at the head ofenstone.

Public support for Mattia Binotto when the Italian was in the hot seat, the Madrilenian did not wait long to praise Vasseur in turn.

"From what I've been told and given how I've always known him, I think he's the right one no one, added Sainz. Everyone knows him in the paddock and I'm sure he will do very well.

There will be a period of adaptation, but Fred knows Formula 1, as well as Ferrari. There will now be this preparation phase to then begin to work fully with him. »

As a reminder, after having achieved an extremely convincing first season in red in 2021 and which had also seen him finish ahead of Charles Leclerc by 5,5 points, Sainz took time to get into the rhythm in 2022, at the wheel of an F1-75 which gave him problems for a long time.

His solid second part of the season, accompanied by three pole positions and his first victory in F1, allows him to move towards 2023 with a boost of confidence and great ambition, facing a determined Leclerc to play for the title and seek his first world crown.

However, it is difficult to imagine favoritism on the part of Vasseur that Leclerc never claimed at Ferrari. The Habs will first be judged by their ability to make Ferrari shine. And the Scuderia has two extremely successful drivers.

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