Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have both downplayed the seriousness of their altercation at the British Grand Prix last weekend, where both drivers appeared to be angry with one another.
Ferrari endured another miserable weekend at the Silverstone International Circuit, as Leclerc finished the race in ninth with Sainz in 10th.
Considering they started fourth and fifth, it marked a very disappointing result.
Qualifying alone was a heated session for Ferrari, with both drivers having been at risk of a Q1 elimination.
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The circuit ramped up considerably in the closing minutes of Q1, something which saw every driver have to improve.
Leclerc and Sainz completed their out-lap together, with the Monegasque having led the Spaniard.
However, as they prepared to start their push lap, Sainz opted to overtake Leclerc, something which infuriated the 25-year-old.
“Nice Carlos, nice,” Leclerc sarcastically said over the radio following the incident.
Both drivers did safely navigate their way into Q2 and then into Q3, with Leclerc having downplayed how aggressive he sounded over the radio in the closing seconds of Q1.
“Maybe my message came across as a little aggressive,” Leclerc explained after the session, as reported by Grandpx.news. “But in moments like that, a lot of adrenaline flows.”
Sainz agreed with Leclerc that things said on the radio can sound more aggressive than they are meant to be, to the extent where the Spaniard believes radio messages “should not be taken into account” by fans and the media.
“I think we all speak on the radio, not just him,” Sainz said.
“I think that what is said on the radio should not be taken into account because we are all under pressure and all at the limit.
“Maybe they should also put a microphone on the footballers to see what they say. I think you’d see how much we drivers control ourselves.”
Sainz also spoke somewhat aggressively to Ferrari though, as he was left frustrated with a decision the team made.
Despite having been behind Leclerc on the leaderboard in the closing minutes of Q1, Ferrari asked Sainz to let Leclerc overtake him in the pit-lane, something he criticised.
Sainz was seemingly frustrated by Ferrari’s decision, something which many believe led to him passing his team-mate ahead of their final push lap.
However, the 28-year-old revealed that he overtook Leclerc due to believing that he was going to “run out of time”.
“It was just a difficult session to manage,” Sainz told Canal Plus.
“We had cars passing us and I thought I would run out of time to do a lap. That’s why I passed him.”
Interestingly, Sainz also shared that it was Leclerc’s turn to exit the track first at Silverstone, which is why Ferrari asked the Spanish driver to allow him past.
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However, Sainz felt he was in “greater danger”, hence why he questioned the team’s decision.
“We have a rule that one weekend he can go to the track first, the next I can,” Sainz said. “And here in England it’s his turn.
“But I felt I was in greater danger. In the end the chequered flag was coming and if I didn’t go for it I was out.”