Sainz: I was instructed not to confront Leclerc in Abu Dhabi

Carlos Sainz reveals Ferrari gave him clear instructions not to fight team-mate Charles Leclerc in race 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Leclerc and Sainz start final race of 2022 Formula 1 season, and lined up in the second, third and fourth rows.

But Leclerc is tasked with beating Red Bull’s Sergio Perez – who started second on the grid – for runners-up in the 2022 drivers’ championship.

With Red Bull announcing that Perez will have the full support of his team-mate Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi, starting with qualifying, Ferrari also have their plans to fully support Leclerc.

Sainz revealed he was given clear instructions to support his team-mate and not try to fight him during any part of the match.

“I think we are a team,” Sainz said after the race, “I was given clear instructions before the race not to fight him at the start or at the pit stops.

“In that sense we had a great weekend and I’m honestly happy for him because I really think he deserves P2,” he added.

Leclerc’s well-deserved second

Sainz insisted his team-mate deserved runner-up, pointing to his personal struggles with F1-75 at the start of the season, while Leclerc was taking pole after pole.

“I think he deserves second this year,” Sainz insisted. “He’s been very strong all year in this generation of cars.

“He’s been driving really well and I might have to adapt and change my driving to try and get closer to him,” he added.

“Congratulations, he deserved to finish second in front of Cecco because of his excellent driving,” concluded the 28-year-old from Madrid.

Despite his early struggles understanding his 2022 Ferrari, Sainz was able to bounce back in the second half of the season. He took his first career pole position at Silverstone, which translated into his first F1 title.

He took two more pole positions at Spa and Austin and finished the season fifth, 29 points behind Mercedes’ George Russell.

Boys from Maranello 😎#being ferrari 🔴 @Charles_Leclerc @Carlossainz55 pic.twitter.com/l9DRzjyN8x

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) November 26, 2022