Historically, Scuderia Ferrari was arguably the largest racing team to compete in F1. Of course, other legendary teams like McLaren, Williams and Sauber are in the pool too. But Ferrari manages to stand out from them not only because of their impeccable performances on the track, but also because of the name and rich culture that they pursue as an outfit.
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Thanks to this rich culture, they are one of the most highly decorated teams in Formula 1, winning the constructors’ championship 16 times a record. And of course there is also the name Michael Schumacher, who found his form with the Reds and broke all possible records in the F1 book.
Ferrari, on the other hand, is notorious for choosing one teammate over the other. Let’s look at Schumacher, who was on the way to winning the title with the team between 2000 and 2004.
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Formula 1 F1 – Styria Grand Prix – Red Bull Ring, Styria, Austria – June 25, 2021 Ferraris Carlos Sainz Jr. and Ferraris Charles Leclerc in action during training REUTERS / Leonhard Foeger
Ferrari had to play with Rubens Barrichello to help the German get most of the titles. The Brazilian was ordered to give up victories and podiums and mostly played second fiddle to Schumacher.
There was also the couple Sebastian Vettel-Kimi Räikkönen. Here, too, team orders were always part of the duo’s races; in this case Raikkonen was mostly asked to withdraw. But something has changed since Carlos Sainz found his way into the team. Charles Leclerc and his new team-mate enjoy their time together at Ferrari as equals.
Is Ferrari finally returning to equal treatment?
Looks like it. At the start of the season, Leclerc, as the number 1 driver, again enjoyed royal treatment. However, as the season progressed, Sainz also began pushing hard. Since Monegasse was ahead of Sainz in the championship, the team could have asked Sainz to hold onto its position.
Interestingly, such team orders were not issued. The two drivers competed hard and fair against each other, and in the end Sainz finished ahead of Leclerc in the championship standings. Nobody expected that at any time! It was pretty shocking.
This equality of treatment has helped the two drivers bond even more closely than anyone could have ever imagined. There doesn’t seem to be much suspicion between the two. This is also proven by the latest video from Sainz and Leclerc on the famous Formula Rossa roller coaster. Smiles can be seen everywhere.
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Is title printing the reason for this change?
Any time Ferrari pushed in to just one of their drivers, it was likely a season in which they had a chance at the drivers’ championship. However, since 2020 it has mainly been a time of struggle for the Maranello outfit.
Formula One F1 – Great Britain Grand Prix – Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, UK – July 15, 2021 Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. during a promotional photo shoot for the unveiling of the new REUTERS / Andrew Couldridge 2022 F1 car
Without printing the title, Ferrari finally let its two drivers drive freely and without restrictions. The only question now is whether this type of treatment will remain the same in the future? Well, we will know next season where the likelihood that Ferrari will challenge the front runners is very high.
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