Sport Director Laurent Mekies explains why Ferrari have not yet made the decision to go for Charles Leclerc only ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix
Carlos Sainz in P2, Charles Leclerc in P3 on the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix – and many are wondering: Will there be a crash between the Ferrari drivers in the first corner? Or is there possibly a stable order to prevent exactly that? But this seems to be less of an issue within the team than for observers from the outside.
Ferrari has been criticised by the media and many fans for not having decided on Leclerc as the number one driver for 2022. Sainz is currently in fourth position in the WRC, 26 points behind Leclerc. That equates to points for victory and fastest race lap in a single weekend.
“Our goal is always first and foremost the best result for the team. Ferrari comes first,” says sports director Laurent Mekies. “But of course at some point we might reach a point where we focus more on one driver than the other, should the WRC starting position make that necessary. “
Stable order already before mathematical decision?
The point at which a team order could be pronounced for the first time does not necessarily have to come when the other driver no longer has a mathematical chance of winning the World Championship: “It will happen at the point at which we think it is right,” says Mekies.
First of all, it’s about winning the race in Mogyorod near Budapest. Positive: Max Verstappen (Red Bull) is only in P10 due to a technical problem in qualifying, and that on a track where overtaking is considered difficult. Negative: With George Russell (Mercedes) an unexpected opponent is on pole position.
Sainz is brimming with optimism
“I think we have the pace,” Sainz is optimistic. “The start and tyre management will play a key role, as always. Mercedes’ race pace is a big unknown. We don’t know if they will be as fast as they were in qualifying. If we can get George at the start, all the better.”
“Our goal is to win the race. We’re not focusing too much on where Max is, because for us the points in the championship are important. The best way to do that is to look at ourselves and try to win the race. Regardless of where Max finishes,” said Sainz.
Leclerc believes “it will take Max a bit from tenth place to get up there in front”. Especially as the world championship leader will have to get past the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris before he can close the gap on the Ferraris.
Will the tyres be a problem?
By the way, they attributed the lost pole position to inconsistent tyres, among other things. But Leclerc can imagine that it will be different in the race: “We have to be able to adapt to changing conditions. I had problems with the tyres in qualifying, but the race is a completely different matter.”
Leclerc expects “between one and three” pit stops – a prediction that sparked laughter among journalists in the press conference room. Until Russell interjected that Leclerc was probably even serious. “The performance is there,” Leclerc is sure. “We are fast. Hopefully we can make up positions.”
Neither wants to deal with the issue of internal team agreements: “We are only looking at ourselves. Of course we don’t take any risks between the two of us. But otherwise there’s no need for any agreements,” says Leclerc. Sainz nods: “Nothing to add to that. “
