Ferrari – and Frederic Vasseur – have an enormous choice to make with their F1 driver line-up.
If the rumours are to be believed, Ferrari are very near asserting Charles Leclerc’s contract extension. Whereas Leclerc nonetheless lacks that Max Verstappen-like consistency, in uncooked efficiency phrases, there’s arguably nobody faster than him in F1. Leclerc is Ferrari by and thru – and tying him right down to a brand new deal – makes good sense.
who is obtainable on the motive force marketplace for Ferrari to signal who’s able to taking up Verstappen, Leclerc is definitely the perfect wager. His qualifying pace is unrivalled, whereas he’s proven in wheel-to-wheel fight towards Verstappen that he’s not afraid to again down.
With Leclerc’s future all-but sorted – who might be his teammate? There’s little question that Carlos Sainz is deserving of a brand new contract. The Spaniard was narrowly out-scored by Leclerc in 2023 following the latter’s spectacular run on the finish of the season.
However it was Sainz who claimed Ferrari’s solely victory – and the one non-Pink Bull win of the yr – with a spectacular drive on the Singapore Grand Prix. Sainz does maybe lack that star high quality the likes of Verstappen, Leclerc and even Lando Norris have, however when it comes to hoovering up factors, capitalising on alternatives and being very constant, there’s not a lot better on the market.
In that sense, preserving Sainz is logical. He’s the perfect driver accessible to Ferrari and is fast sufficient to not be a standard ‘quantity two’. Nevertheless, is that proper for Ferrari, and extra importantly Leclerc?
The rhetoric round Ferrari and their automotive has been constant during the last 18 months, with Leclerc preferring a extra pointy, oversteer-dominant automotive, however Sainz prefers the alternative. This was evidenced by their contrasting type in 2023, with Sainz typically extra snug within the first two-thirds of the yr (the place the automotive was set as much as have extra understeer to counter its rear instability) versus the ultimate a part of the season, the place the Japan improve remodeled the best way the automotive may very well be set as much as Leclerc’s liking.
Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari; Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari; Diego…
The underside line is that Leclerc has a better ceiling than Sainz – and if Ferrari need to lastly finish that elusive F1 world championship drought, which stretches again to 2007, then they need to centre all the pieces across the former Sauber man.
As seen with Pink Bull, whereas they don’t essentially ‘construct the automotive round Verstappen’, it’s clear that automotive growth is geared aggressively which in flip fits their star driver. Leclerc and Sainz’s contrasting needs and wishes from an F1 automotive makes issues extra difficult for Ferrari.
Sainz is a incredible, confirmed F1 driver, who’s worthy of one other cope with the workforce, however it might be in Ferrari (and Leclerc’s) pursuits to exchange him. Alex Albon has carried out magnificently since switching to Williams initially of 2022.
Albon’s performances have been akin to George Russell’s earlier than his transfer to Mercedes, restoring his broken repute after a turbulent 18 months at Pink Bull.
Whereas it’s honest to say that Sainz might be a step forward of Albon (primarily based on what we’ve seen in F1) in efficiency phrases, the Thai driver would praise Leclerc higher at Ferrari. It’s extensively identified that Leclerc and Albon have extra comparable driving kinds, stretching again to their time as teammates in F2. Plus, the overall hierarchy of the workforce could be extra outlined.
(L to R): Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari and Alexander Albon (THA) Williams…
Presently, Sainz is extra of a ‘1.5 driver’ than a ‘quantity two’, versus Albon, who could be a supporting act to Leclerc. An unpopular philosophy amongst followers? Maybe, however historical past has proven it’s probably the most profitable. Whether or not it’s Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas or Verstappen and Sergio Perez – the mega star workforce chief alongside reliable, confirmed second driver is the best way to go.
Leclerc and Albon would give Ferrari a greater stability, with much less probability of friction. To Sainz’s credit score, he’s extra of a Nico Rosberg versus a Bottas – when taking a look at his on observe performances relative to Leclerc, if we use Hamilton as a comparability.
Whereas on paper, a Sainz-less Ferrari is weaker, in principle, a workforce centred round Leclerc, supported by Albon, ought to convey the perfect out of their mega star driver, which is essential of their mighty problem of bringing down Verstappen within the coming years.
