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(Reuters) – Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz hit out at media experiences of turmoil behind the scenes at Maranello after the Italian group’s disappointing begin to the Method One season.
Spaniard Sainz accepted Ferrari wanted to do a greater job however mentioned the temper again residence was “loads higher than the information makes it sound”.
“If you look again at this final weekend and what number of rumours have been round it looks as if the place isn’t in a fantastic second,” he advised reporters forward of Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“It’s so clear to us what we have to enhance, how we have to do it and what are the brief, medium and long-term targets that I really am very stunned how some individuals again at residence have been attempting to destabilise a bit the group.”
Ferrari received two of the primary three races final yr however Pink Bull ended up with 17 victories from 22 rounds — double world champion Max Verstappen claiming 15.
Leclerc, runner-up to Verstappen final season, retired in Bahrain on March 5 with an digital management unit downside whereas Sainz completed fourth, got rid of the rostrum by compatriot Fernando Alonso in an Aston Martin.
One Italian media report final week urged Leclerc had met Ferrari president John Elkann final week to hunt particular person assurances.
“That is completely unfaithful,” mentioned the Monegasque, who has a 10-place grid penalty for the race in Jeddah because of the management unit having to be switched out.
“There have been a great deal of rumours across the group which, for as soon as, 90% of them had been fully unfounded.”
Leclerc mentioned the management unit downside had been understood and shouldn’t trigger any additional concern and the group had been united.
“I noticed these rumours after which I went to Maranello so at first I used to be like ‘I am undecided how the group goes to react to it’,” he mentioned of the media experiences.
“However then we have had a gathering with the entire group, all of the Ferrari staff, and I used to be actually stunned. Everyone is absolutely on it and absolutely constructive nonetheless.”
Sainz mentioned the high-speed and clean Jeddah circuit ought to be higher for Ferrari than Bahrain however beating the Pink Bulls would nonetheless be “extraordinarily tough”.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, modifying by Ed Osmond)