“I’m the Boss Here”: Charles Leclerc’s Infamous Altercation Marked the Beginning of the End of Mattia Binotto

The most talked about aspect of F1 team dynamics is the relationship between the drivers; teammates. That being said, it takes a herculean effort by the top management of any team to ensure harmony and success. Mercedes and Toto Wolff are the most salient examples of this during the Hamilton-Rosberg era. But what about when ego clashes occur between the driver and the team principal? Who does the team side with then? When a driver with Charles Leclerc‘s capabilities was irked, it toppled the highest rung of the Ferrari F1 hierarchy.

2022 became a make-or-break year for erstwhile Ferrari team principal, Mattia Binotto. After a solid start to the season, reliability, strategy, and driver gaffes led to the eventual demise of the Scuderia’s title charge as well as Binotto’s term at the helm of the team. But according to an ex-Ferrari manager, the hand dealt to Charles Leclerc at the 2022 British Grand Prix was the final nail in the coffin for Binotto’s Ferrari career.

A detrimental strategy call for the Monegasque meant his teammate Carlos Sainz cruised past him at the Safety Car restart to claim his maiden F1 win. Peter Windsor, who was Ferrari’s general manager in 1989, took to his Twitch account to say, “I think it all came to a head when Charles was inexplicably left on track for the restart of the British Grand Prix.”

In the aftermath, the famous picture of Binotto pointing a finger at Leclerc went viral. To this day, we don’t know what was exchanged. However, Windsor thinks otherwise. “Binotto did that finger flick to Charles with the message: Don’t talk like that, I’m the boss here. That is not possible. At that moment I also thought: This man’s days are numbered.” [translated via Google Translate]

Read More: Amid Favoritism Accusations, Frederic Vasseur Breaks the Shackles to Disclose Astonishing Carlos Sainz “Story”

Ferrari isn’t a stranger to inter-team rivalries. That being said, the new man in-charge has warned his drivers that this won’t ever happen again during his reign.

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur warns Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz

At first glance, Fred Vasseur seems like a no-nonsense boss. And probably that is exactly what Ferrari needs in 2023, to be able to finally break their championship drought. That being said, Vasseur has taken an early opportunity to set the tone for how things will be run at the team from Maranello hereon.

While talking about Leclerc and Sainz’s position within the team, Vasseur told The Race, “There will be no number one and number two. If at one stage we have to take action, I will take action. It doesn’t matter if it’s for one or the other, but if at one stage in the season I have to do something, I will do it.”

Watch This Story: Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc achieve rare F1 feat with Disney collaboration

In 2023, who will come out on top? Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz?