Charles Leclerc's nice words about Carlos Sainz: "I wouldn't be the driver I am today if he hadn't been my teammate"

The relationship between the two men never reached the stage of absolute bromance as was the case with McLaren between the Spanish and Lando Norris, but the duo Carlos Sainz - Charles Leclerc worked particularly well for four years within the Team. There were obviously some lows on the track, with tangos danced a little too tightly for the hearts of the tifosi, like this Sunday in September 2023 at Monza where the Monegasque's incessant attacks on the Spaniard to steal his place on the podium could have ended very differently.

But the two men, through their intelligence, have always been able to explain themselves in the coldness of the engineers' room or in the director's office, whether it is Mattia Binotto or Frédéric Vasseur. Off the track, these two have built a real friendly relationship, never weighed down by possible rivalries on the track. While the Scuderia had to make the difficult choice to part ways with the Madrilenian for 2025 in order to make room for Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc paid a warm verbal tribute to the man whose work ethic he will miss in 2025.

Leclerc's head full of memories

“I think Lando and I are probably the two best people to talk about it because we’ve been on the same team as Carlos for many years., Leclerc testified. And I can tell you that Carlos is incredibly talented. He has helped me improve in many areas, with his work ethic, his talent, his discipline, everything he brings. He is an incredible teammate. And I think if today, we have taken such a step forward in one year and in these four years, it is because of Carlos. He has been extremely fast."

🗣️ LECLERCCC!!! pic.twitter.com/jXSCjDjRuT

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) December 24, 2024

The little prince of the rock obviously regretted that his friend would not have the chance to sign with a top team for 2025, but nevertheless refused to worry about him. "In Formula 1, there are things that you don't really have an explanation for, like the luck of being in the right place at the right time and Carlos really deserves to be in a top team. But I'm sure it's only a matter of time before he comes back and joins us fighting for victories. He will bring a lot to Williams, because he is very sensitive to every little change and every little sensation that there is in the car."

Unsurprisingly, the Monegasque will only keep the positive from these four years of work and frank laughter, sometimes too. “I’m definitely going to miss the fights, He said. We had our moments on the track, but it was only because we were racing so closely and because he pushed me throughout our collaboration. It was an absolute pleasure. And of course, sometimes in the moment there is frustration. I look back on those moments with a lot of positive memories. And I wouldn't be the rider I am today if he hadn't been my teammate for the last four years. So yeah, it was a great pleasure and four years that I will remember in the most positive way possible." After Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc will now cross swords with Lewis Hamilton at Maranello. A different pair of sleeves?

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