Sky Sports commentator and pundit Martin Brundle believes Ferrari’s use of team orders won’t work with Charles Leclerc.
Last Sunday’s race in Shanghai saw the clearest interference by the team so far as their new prodigy was asked to move over with Sebastian Vettel close behind.
Afterwards, Leclerc demanded the “full picture” and later tried to put an end to the situation by accepting the explanation given to him.
Brundle though warns Ferrari are not endearing themselves to the 21-year-old with their decisions.
“They ordered Leclerc to let Vettel through which of course is humiliating and frustrating for the young Monegasque, and especially galling after car reliability robbed him of a glorious victory two weeks earlier,” he wrote in his Sky Sports column.
“I’d already suggested this may happen and I’d have done the same thing from how it all appeared. But, once past, Vettel didn’t have any more pace and proceeded to regularly lock his tyres up under braking.
“They mustn’t harm his [Leclerc’s] credibility and paint him as a support act, that’s damaging psychologically and reputation wise, and isn’t easy to reverse.”
Brundle then mentioned how team boss Mattia Binotto had been “remarkably open” about his stance that Vettel would be the priority in certain situations, although in China, hinted that might change.
And while the former racer believed that was born from criticism for not backing the four-time world champion last year, he believes the situation is now very different.
“It won’t defuse or solve the problem because Leclerc is every bit the match for Vettel and he’s his own man despite his tender years,” he stated.
