Mattia Binotto said that he is happy to let Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz battle on track, provided they put the team first.
In a season where multiple team orders have come into play, Ferrari have proven to be a breath of fresh air by letting their drivers race. Leclerc and Sainz have been evenly matched this season, and it is always a joy to see the two drivers race.
During the Brazilian GP, they battled during lap one for track position, with the Monegasque taking the inside line and going ahead. Leclerc finished P5, one position ahead of Sainz, with no troubles or damage to both cars.
This approach towards racing was praised by fans, who credited Ferrari for their attitude. Binotto also said that he is happy to let Leclerc and Sainz battle on track, as long as they do what’s best for the team.
“It’s great to see them fighting on track,” the team principal said, as quoted by GP Fans.
“It was a good start in the first corners. They have been very safe in making sure they don’t damage themselves, which is important for me and the team.”
Discipline incentives
Binotto also insisted that he is pleased with the way the two drivers handle work and stated that an understanding of that sort is crucial for racing.
“The two drivers are really behaving very well, and from my side, to manage it, it’s a lot easier when the drivers understand the team spirit,” he continued.
“At the moment, I can only confirm those two guys really understand it very well. Our drivers are completely free to fight. I’ve always said the priority is the team and we will do whatever we can to maximise the team points.
“Apart from that, they are free to fight at the moment, and hopefully in the future it will be so good they will be free to fight each single race,” he concluded.
Read more: Binotto wants extended run of reverse grids after Hamilton’s Brazilian GP victory