Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

After the 2024 Japanese GP, a handful of Ferrari fans suggested that the team shouldn’t have let Carlos Sainz overtake Charles Leclerc at the Suzuka International Circuit en route to the #55 driver’s third podium of the season.

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The argument made was that the team should have asked Sainz to hold position to boost Leclerc’s fallen confidence. Ex-Ferrari and Williams manager, Peter Windsor rubbished these suggestions as “nonsense”.

Speaking to YouTuber, CameronF1, Windsor said, “That’s complete nonsense! Even if they told Carlos [Sainz] to hold station – how would they do that? I mean Carlos was so much quicker at that point of the race, tire-wise.”

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“Why – It doesn’t make any sense at all. I think you need to not know much about F1 to even make that suggestion.” Windsor even said that Leclerc himself would not have accepted such a team order for being so patently absurd.

The Ferrari duo of Leclerc and Sainz were locked in a battle for the final podium position at the Japanese GP last weekend. On lap 46 however, Sainz finally closed up to Leclerc and attacked. The Monegasque even tried resisting the move on the inside, but the tire advantage the Spaniard had meant he had better traction than Leclerc even on the outside and made the move stick.

Outgoing Carlos Sainz has imposed his dominance on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz has been the leading Ferrari this year. The 29-year-old has comfortably outclassed his teammate and has stood on the podium in each race he has driven in. What’s more, he also won the 2023 Australian GP, ending Max Verstappen’s win streak just days after he underwent an appendicitis surgery.

Leclerc on the other hand has been struggling. He’s finished behind his teammate in all the three races they’ve competed against each other. In Bahrain, Sainz grabbed the final podium position as Leclerc finished 4th.

At Melbourne, Sainz took his third career Grand Prix win, with Leclerc making it a Ferrari 1-2. Last weekend’s race was no different as the Monegasque slotted right behind his teammate once again in 4th.

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Sainz has a point to prove to Ferrari this season. The team opted to retain Leclerc and pair him up with Lewis Hamilton from 2025 onwards. This meant that even before the season began, Sainz was without a drive for next year. Naturally, his performances are also an audition for a top seat for next season.