Leclerc might seek REVENGE after tight Monza battle, F1 champion warns
Leclerc might seek REVENGE after tight Monza battle, F1 champion warns
Nico Rosberg believes that the Ferrari drivers went too far in their epic Monza battle and that both of them need to be sat down by the boss to reduce the risk of escalation in the future.
Despite being only five laps from securing a home podium for the team in Monza, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were allowed to fight it out for the last spot on the rostrum – with the Spaniard eventually winning out in their personal duel.
Lock-ups and minor contact made for spectacular viewing, but Rosberg is fearful that the drivers may take it too far next time they meet on track.
READ MORE: Nico Rosberg: Sky F1 pundit and former world champion
Rosberg: That is so close to crashing
“For us it was great, but it was so close to crashing. Especially with the big lock up from Charles,” he said on Sky Sports F1’s Podcast. “I was telling Fred Vasseur after the race that I really highly recommend that he asks both drivers to sit down with him because he has the most authority.
“Because it’s so important to be proactive, otherwise if one driver or the other, in this case it would mostly be Charles, has a bad feeling here, it can quickly spiral. That he will think at the next race 'I’m not going to yield next time, or I’m going to do the same next time, going to get payback.'”
Embroiled in a tight fight with Mercedes for second place in the constructors' standings, Rosberg also believed that his former boss Toto Wolff would have acted differently to Ferrari chief Vasseur in the same situation.
“Toto might have said just hold position now because are they in a close championship fight in the constructors," said Rosberg. "Because it’s such important points in the attempt to still try and beat Mercedes.
“It is really nail-biting in the car as well. Imagine crashing out your Ferrari team-mate at Monza, removing the podium. That would’ve been like 'Whoa!'
"It was so close.”
With few low-downforce tracks left on the calendar this season, expect to see Ferrari’s on-track battles to see the Scuderia drivers contending for the lower-paid points positions, rather than the podium, which may add further fuel to the fire between Sainz and Leclerc.
Related news
Leclerc told to 'stick to driving' by Ferrari team-mate
Ferrari reveal costly reason behind Leclerc disqualification
Hamilton and Leclerc's disqualification explained by F1 aero expert
Leclerc AGONY in Austin sees him join drivers who have raced through pain
Most read
FIA take action after Verstappen track limits mishap
F1 News Today: FIA make changes as Mercedes receive double penalty and Horner curses bad luck
Red Bull to replace driver at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Stroll issues Alonso Aston Martin contract verdict
Horner takes aim at Kravitz with savage jibe at Sky Sports pundit
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Nyck De Vries
- Liam Lawson
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2023
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Australia 2023
- Grand Prix of China 2023
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2023
- Miami Grand Prix 2023
- Qatar Airways Gran Premio Del Made In Italy E Dell'emilia Romagna 2023
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2023
- AWS Gran Premio de España 2023
- Grand Prix du Canada 2023
- Grand Prix of Austria 2023
- Aramco Grand Prix of Great Britain 2023
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2023
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2023
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Italy 2023
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2023
- Grand Prix of Japan 2023
- Qatar Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of the United States 2023
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2023
- Rolex Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2023
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2023
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860