Source: REUTERS/JAKUB PORZYCKI
[Saba Sports News] During the final stages of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, there was a fierce argument over radio communication within the Ferrari team. Charles Leclerc argued with engineer Brian Bozzi about tire-changing strategies when the safety car was deployed, and when teammate Lewis Hamilton was mentioned, the Monaco driver directly retorted: “I don’t care!” This dialogue, which did not air live, completely exposed the internal competition within Ferrari. At the end of the race, Leclerc faced a difficult choice — to continue using the worn neutral tires that had been running for 11 laps or take a risk by switching to brand-new soft tires. Leclerc strongly favored the latter, even shouting “Soft tires will be better,” but engineer Bozzi warned: “Hamilton doesn’t want to pit.” These words instantly ignited Leclerc’s anger. Even though Hamilton eventually pitted suddenly, disrupting the plan, Leclerc still stuck to his opinion. Due to communication confusion, Leclerc missed the opportunity, finishing sixth, behind Hamilton who staged a comeback to finish fourth. In our opinion, this conflict revealed the subtle relationship between the two Ferrari drivers. Hamilton cautiously evaluated via radio that “this tire can still hold on,” but Leclerc showed a stronger attacking nature. When the engineer tried to coordinate the strategies of the two, Leclerc’s explosive response clearly indicated that he refused to compromise for his teammate.