Carlos Sainz Jr of Spain, driving for Ferrari SF-24, and Charles Leclerc of Monaco, also driving for Ferrari SF-24, engaged in a battle for position during the Bahrain Grand Prix. Sainz made calculated moves to ensure that his teammate did not lose time.
At the beginning of the race, Leclerc was ahead of Sainz by three places. However, due to a significant brake problem, Leclerc dropped behind George Russell and Sergio Perez. Taking advantage of the situation, Sainz made a daring move on the inside of Turn 1, forcing Leclerc to back off on the outside.
There were speculations that Sainz, whose contract with Ferrari is not being renewed, would not act in the best interest of the team. However, Sainz dismissed these claims, stating that he always approaches racing his teammate with caution and leaves ample room for maneuvering.
According to Sainz, the move on Leclerc felt controlled and safe. He emphasized that he never puts any car at risk and ensures that his overtakes do not cause his teammate to lose time.
Although Sainz briefly became the leading Ferrari on the track, he fell back behind Leclerc after the team gave preferential treatment to Leclerc during the first pit stops. However, Sainz does not believe that he was intentionally overlooked. He sees his extended stint on the track as a positive, as he was able to maintain strong lap times and quickly overtake both Leclerc and Russell to secure a podium finish. Sainz feels that he did not lose significant race time in this situation.