Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has expressed his dissatisfaction with drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz after they failed to capitalize on their front-row lockout at the Mexican GP.
” I’m not satisfied with the start of my drivers today. The start wasn’t good, we gave everyone the slipstream, totally losing control of the situation,” Vasseur lamented after the race.
Leclerc secured the top spot in qualifying at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with Sainz successfully fending off the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, to secure second place on the grid. However, their fortunes took a downturn during the race.
Sainz endured a challenging start, struggling to get off the line when the lights went out. This, combined with stellar launches from Verstappen and his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, exerted immense pressure on Leclerc as they approached turn one.
With Verstappen on the inside and Perez executing a move around the outside, Leclerc found himself trapped at turn one. In an attempt to make his move stick, the home hero turned in too early, resulting in contact between the two drivers.
The situation didn’t improve significantly when the race was restarted after a red flag caused by a suspension failure that sent Kevin Magnussen hurtling toward the barriers on lap 33. Both Leclerc and Sainz started the second race on the slower hard compound tires, leaving them without a competitive edge on the run down to turn one.
Vasseur expressed his disappointment with these subpar race starts and the impact it had on the team’s performance. The incident with Leclerc and Perez added to the frustration, as the collision caused damage to the front of Leclerc’s car.
As the race unfolded, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton secured a second-place finish, widening the gap between Mercedes and Ferrari to 22 points as they headed into the final three races of the season. The Constructor Championship’s second place remains up for grabs.
While the Interlagos circuit in Brazil has historically favored Mercedes, with George Russell winning his maiden victory there last season, the upcoming races in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi could offer opportunities for the Scuderia to swing the pendulum back in their favor.Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Blasted by Own Boss for ‘Losing Control’