Formula 1
Ferrari: Sainz and Leclerc will have equal F1 status in 2022
Ferrari says that Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc will have equal status at the team next year, as the squad bids to get back to winning ways in Formula 1.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Dec 30, 2021, 11:24 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
With the Maranello-based outfit having finished third this season behind Mercedes and Red Bull, it hopes that the early development switch it made to its 2022 car will pay dividends in helping it close up the gap.
With one of the most closely matched driver pairings in F1, Ferrari is well aware that if its duo take points off each other then it could be a compromise if it finds itself in a tight championship battle.
However, team principal Mattia Binotto is clear that Sainz and Leclerc will start on an equal footing – and that it will be results on track that will ultimately decide if there comes a point where they have to favour one over the other.
“In terms of drivers, as we have often said, I think it is the track that will dictate it,” he said.
“The priority is always the team, but no doubt, if they can compete for an important position in the championship, it will be the track that will tell who's ahead.
“And sometimes, I think it's not only about driver talent or driver capacity. A driver can be a lot unfortunate, and have damage, reliability issues, or crashes.
“So I don't think that we need at this stage, and certainly we will not have a policy, of number one or number two. We will simply discuss it based on positions on track whenever it will be time.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21, battles with Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Sainz enjoyed an impressive first campaign for Ferrari in 2021, finishing 5.5 points and two positions ahead of Leclerc.
However, Binotto doesn’t think there is any reason to feel that Leclerc under-performed this year, as he feels the Monegasque driver was unlucky at times.
“For Charles, I have to say that I'm very happy to see the progress he has made this season,” he said.
“I think he's has always been somehow very fast in qualifying, even in the last part of the season where maybe Carlos was challenging him a bit more.
“I think we should not forget that in the season, there are a couple of examples, which is Monaco and Budapest, where he didn't score. I think he has been unlucky as a driver in those occasions.
“Without those, and it’s difficult to say where he would have finished, but maybe at least 40 points is missing from his classification. So without that, again, I think he would have been a lot further ahead in the championship.
“So that's why again I can only judge very positively his season. He has learned, furthermore, how to manage the tyres, how to manage the race situations and the race pace. So I am quite pleased on the progress he has made.”
Read Also:
- Ferrari: Leclerc and Sainz "as good as it gets" as teammates
- The stats that prove Ferrari is on the road to recovery
- Ferrari plans to have new F1 simulator up to speed by early ’22
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Norris: McLaren and Ferrari fight helped both for future F1 title bids
Next article Gasly: McLaren, Ferrari F1 fights offered "different kind of excitement"
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
More from
Carlos Sainz
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Formula 1
Formula 1
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Lewis Hamilton: Younger F1 drivers are “more and more cautious” about racing in rain
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Lewis Hamilton: Younger F1 drivers are “more and more cautious” about racing in rain
Latest news
MotoGP's Australian GP delayed due to bad weather
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
30 min
MotoGP's Australian GP delayed due to bad weather
2026 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix – How to watch, session times & more
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Indonesian GP
44 min
2026 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix – How to watch, session times & more
There will be even less drag in Cup cars at Talladega on Sunday
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
46 min
There will be even less drag in Cup cars at Talladega on Sunday
Kimi Antonelli delivers Austin surprise pole in tricky Mercedes: "Finally we're seeing the results"
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
Kimi Antonelli delivers Austin surprise pole in tricky Mercedes: "Finally we're seeing the results"
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe