Charles Leclerc spoke about his experience with his new Ferrari teammate ahead of the 2021 season-opener at Bahrain International Circuit.
The Monégasque driver says he’s delighted to have Carlos Sainz with him than his previous partner, Sebastian Vettel. The Ferrari No.16 claims he’s able to spend more time with the former McLaren driver than Seb.
Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver claims Carlos Sainz is a better teammate than Sebastian Vettel. (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Leclerc further stated, “What has changed is the time I spent with my teammate because in the past Seb and I often crossed paths. I would arrive as he left, or vice versa.
“Now, with Carlos, we are often in on the same days and consequently we spend more time together.”
Charles Leclerc and his future in Ferrari with Carlos Sainz
The 23-year-old finished eighth on the last year’s driver standings, behind his present teammate Sainz, who was back then driving for McLaren F1. The Maranello-based had a hard time against McLaren to dominate the midfield.
However, this year the SF21 gave a neck-to-neck competition to the MCL35M in the season-opener at Bahrain. The Monte Carlo-born racer started fourth on the grid in Shakir behind Mercedes and Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was ahead of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren during the early laps of the Bahrain Grand Prix. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
The driver couldn’t maintain the lead for a long time and eventually finished at P6 behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. However, Leclerc claims the Italian constructor will have more chances to win in upcoming races. Further with Sainz on board, they have an additional positive vibe than the past year which keeps the team motivated.
Charles Leclerc will again go behind the wheels of the Ferrari machinery at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on April 18. We might witness the Monégasque steering a challenging fight against the other drivers for the midfield dominance. However, the threat from McLaren will be constant at the upcoming race in Imola.
