"Overall, I think we are in a good place" - Ferrari team boss 'very happy' with team line-up of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says he’s “very happy” with the Scuderia’s current driver lineup of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

Despite the duo’s youth and relative lack of experience, Binotto felt that they understood what was needed for the team’s growth and success. Speaking ahead of the Monaco GP, the Italian said:

“We are very happy with the line-up we’ve got. Pretty happy. They’re young, true, but they are having good experience as well. To try and win the Constructors’ Championships you need to have two good drivers, which we’ve got. So really very happy so far.”

When Ferrari opted to sign Carlos Sainz alongside Charles Leclerc in 2021, many in the F1 paddock were taken by surprise given the Scuderia’s long-standing tradition of pairing an experienced older driver or an F1 world champion with a younger inexperienced driver. In fact, the Leclerc-Sainz pairing is the youngest in the Scuderia’s history in the sport.

Given that Mattia Binotto has been tasked with re-building the Italian squad back up and returning it to its former glory, he needs a pair of drivers who can stay with the team for the long haul and provide it with much-needed stability.

According to Binotto, Sainz and Leclerc are perfectly suited to build “solid foundations” in the team. He added, saying:

“We are looking not only at the short-term, but the medium, long-term, trying to build solid foundations and I think these two are really going well together. So overall I think we are in a good place.”

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Ferrari team boss pleased with collaboration between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz within the team

Mattia Binotto says he’s pleased with the level of collaboration between his drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, in both technical and other aspects. He said:

“I think they understand the spirit of the team and that they are empowering somehow the spirit of the team. The level of collaborations, not only on the technical side, but whatever else they got they are complimentary, giving the right feedback.”

Despite going head-to-head on track on several occasions since becoming teammates, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have remained cordial and friendly off track. The duo shares great chemistry between them, which reduces the potential for intra-team rivalry while pushing the Scuderia on the right path.