Charles Leclerc – Carlos Sainz, statistical comparison: numbers and figures reward the Monegasque

26/11/2022 19:37

In 2021, the newcomer prevailed in the standings; this season instead it was the the Ferrari #16 who finished ahead of hid Maranello team mate, despite the some sidestrategic mistakes from the Italian side, especially in the first part of the 2022 Formula One championship.

The internal duel inside the Ferrari garage this season was particularly interesting for several reasons. The first was the evident competitiveness of the F1-75 car which, at least in the first few races of the year, clearly seemed to be the best car on the grid.

This situation therefore made both of the Maranello team’s drivers potential candidates for winning the Formula 1 world title. Adding more excitement to the challenge between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz was also the result from the 2021 F1 season, in which the Spanish newcomer surprisingly scored more points and more podiums than the #16. However, 2022 provided very different answers, regardless of what was the outcome of the two championships – Drivers and Constructors – won well in advance of the end of the season by both Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

In fact, the figures show an internal duel within the Italian side team which was clearly won by Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque, who for mid-season was Verstappen’s only true opponent in terms of the world title, has in fact achieved more victories, more pole positions, more points and more podiums than his Spanish friend and teammate.

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Carlos Sainz went through a difficult start to the 2022 Formula One season, in which he was unable to adapt to the new Ferrari single-seater designed based on the new technical regulations. The final gap of 62 points that separated the two Ferrari drivers in the championship was in fact already almost completely created after just five GPs, at the end of which Charles Leclerc was had a gap of 51 points ahead of his Maranello teammate. It must be said that Carlos Sainz was unlucky in various circumstances – Imola and Austin above all – in which he was forced to retire from accidents that occurred in the first corners, with the Spaniard being taken out by other drivers.

At the same time, however, it must be emphasized that the only statistical data in which the numbers are equal – the ‘direct clashes’ in the races finished by both – is affected by some serious strategy errors by Ferrari. In fact, both in Monaco and in Silverstone, Charles Leclerc had found himself in front of Carlos Sainz on track and ended up behind his team-mate due to incorrect pit calls from the pit wall. For this reason the result of 7-7 recorded between the two drivers is not a figure that tells the whole truth about the direct comparison.

In terms of retirements due to technical causes, on the other hand, the parity was perfect. Two DNFs for Charles Leclerc (Spain and Baku) and the same for Carlos Sainz (also Baku and Spielberg). Four retirements due to reliability problems which weighed heavily on the season of both drivers, further paving the way for the triumph of Red Bull. It will now be interesting to understand, given the internal changes at the top of the Ferrari management which will take place ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season, how (and if) the internal duel between the two Maranello drivers will evolve next year.

FP | Matteo Senator

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