Leclerc and Sainz genuinely get on, and Ferrari’s leading driver said it was “an important point” that his partner had finally broken his duck at the 150th attempt. It was a magnanimous response that said a lot about both the sort of man Leclerc is, and the collective team spirit at Ferrari. But then the safety car was deployed and Ferrari made the call that lost Leclerc the race. It left Leclerc a sitting duck – Sainz said he knew it would be “easy” to pass him at the restart. Why did they pit Sainz and not Leclerc at the safety car?. Binotto has drummed into Leclerc and Sainz that Ferrari comes first – and the drivers’ interests are secondary.

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