Watch: Carlos Sainz's complaint-riddled 2023 F1 British GP qualifying session

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz was not happy when he was instructed to move aside for his teammate Charles Leclerc in the pit lane during the 2023 F1 British GP qualifying on Saturday, July 8.

In the dying moments of the Q1 session, all the cars were lined up in the pitlane after the red flag restart. When he was instructed to move aside for his teammate, the Spaniard did so but took to the team radio to express his views about the call. He said:

"It's a bit unfair what you're asking me to do there. Sacrifice my tyre temperature. But anyway, whatever. Also, I am P4, he is P3, I am more at risk."

While speaking to Motorsport.com, Carlos Sainz further explained the call and added:

"No, no, I wasn't upset, just a high tension, high-pressure moments with nearly getting out of Q1 without setting a lap because of the chequered flag that we were waiting a lot in the last corner. And at some point, I had to go a lap in. If not, I wouldn't have put a lap in."

"The problem is people behind started to overtake us, which meant, if you give a four-second gap between all the cars that meant that I was not gonna get a lap in, if everyone's gonna respect that four-second gap that we more or less give each other. And because a gentlemen's agreement doesn't exist anymore and it's been completely forgotten."

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Charles Leclerc criticizes Carlos Sainz for his antics in qualifying

Despite moving aside for Leclerc in the pitlane, Carlos Sainz decided to overtake the Monegasque in the final corner while the latter was preparing for a push lap.

Unhappy with Sainz's move, Leclerc said:

"In the pitlane, it's something that we were expecting as we are always trying to get out the cars at the same time as it's better to manage the cars coming. But then on track obviously this is where we had a bit more of a discussion.

"We have one race where I have the priority to choose whether I want to be in front or behind, and one race Carlos has the priority to choose whether he wants to be in front or behind. Obviously with the adrenaline inside the car and you don't know at that point if you're going to make it, the radio message was probably a bit more aggressive than it should have been."

It will be interesting to see if Carlos Sainz changes his stance on the incident after discussing it with the team and Leclerc.