F1, rags fly between Leclerc and Sainz. The Monegasque’s eloquent radio team

“We need to talk. He [Carlos Sainz ndr] he’s fighting with me more than all his other rivals.”. Harsh words from Charles Leclerc released in a radio team as he was crossing the finish line of the Sprint Race of the Chinese Grand Prixfifth round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship. On the Shanghai track, success went to Max Verstappen, but something important happened behind him.

We’re not talking so much about Lewis Hamilton’s second place or Sergio Perez’s podium, but about intense duel, perhaps too intense, between Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. In today’s race the two Ferrari drivers went to battle with a melee which, on the one hand, gave endless emotions to the public, and on the other, made team principal Frederic Vasseur experience those moments with his heart in throat.

It all started in the final bars. Lap 16 out of the 19 planned. Carlos Sainz, after many laps in the DRS zone with Fernando Alonso, attempts to attack his compatriot. Hard acceleration attack exiting turn 6. The two-time world champion holds firm and sends the Ferrari driver to the outside. Neither of them gives up. Carlos Sainz takes advantage of the side and attacks him again but, at that point, “Nando” makes a mistake and touches his rival in turn 8-9. Both go wide and Sergio Perez thanks them and passes them.

F1, Verstappen dominates the Sprint in China ahead of Hamilton and Perez. Heated challenge between the Ferraris

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He also appears behind them Charles Leclerc, who follows in the wake of his garage neighbor on the very long straight that leads to turn 14, attacks him on the outside, but his teammate pulls the brakes far beyond the limit. He loses control of his SF-24 slightly and the contact between the left rear of the Madrid native and the right rear of the Monegasque. A sensational risk which, thinking back to Charles’ radio team, could have been avoided.

The 1997 class driver, at that point, rolled up his sleeves and once again challenged his teammate by launching the attack in turn 2, with a truly spectacular overtaking. ““Rags fly” in Ferrari? We’ll see it starting tomorrow, with the Sunday race starting at 09.00.