Ferrari’s three-four finish at the 2024 Las Vegas GP may have boosted their standings, but behind the scenes, tensions flared between Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. The duo’s ongoing rivalry once again took center stage, leaving fans and analysts questioning the team’s harmony.
During the race, Charles Leclerc expressed frustration on the team radio, lashing out after Sainz refused to let him pass. His outburst included unsavory remarks, even dropping the F-bomb—a moment that left Ferrari’s communication strategy exposed.
Sainz, however, took a more reserved approach. Speaking to the media post-race, the Spaniard explained, “We have decided not to talk about this publicly. We’ll address it internally with Charles.” He emphasized his distaste for airing grievances on the radio or through the press, subtly criticizing his teammate’s public complaints.
The friction between Sainz and Leclerc boiled down to differing strategies. Leclerc believed he was faster and should have been allowed to pass. Meanwhile, Sainz, struggling with tire graining and facing pressure from Lewis Hamilton behind him, felt it wasn’t the right call at the time.
“I had been asking to pit for two laps because of graining, but I knew Hamilton was right behind,” Sainz explained. “It was a tricky situation. I tried to handle it as best as I could, but we need to analyze everything properly later.”
Adding to the chaos, Sainz experienced poor communication with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami. A late call to pit was abruptly canceled, forcing Sainz to rejoin the track after already crossing the pit line—an error that cost valuable seconds and risked a penalty.
Despite the internal drama, Ferrari made progress in the Constructors’ Championship, cutting McLaren’s lead from 36 to 24 points. However, the real concern lies in whether Sainz and Leclerc can cooperate in the final two races of the season.
With Sainz set to leave Ferrari for Williams in 2025—his seat being filled by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton—these last races mark the end of his partnership with Leclerc. Whether they can end on a high note or let personal rivalries overshadow team goals remains to be seen.
One thing is clear: Ferrari’s internal dynamics could make or break their push for a strong finish to the season.
