Neither Carlos Sainz nor Charles Leclerc were particularly happy with the other after the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as Sainz appeared to have ignored a team instruction. But the team radio shows Sainz was never given a clear instruction as to what to do.

Sainz finished third, ahead of Leclerc, after overtaking the Monegasque driver at the start of the final stint – a situation that Leclerc and Ferrari believed Sainz to have been instructed against.

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc at loggerheads after tense Las Vegas GP

Leclerc and Sainz had been inseparable on track for most of the race on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, with Leclerc having got ahead of Sainz at Turn 1 as the Spaniard battled with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.

But Sainz came back at Leclerc as the Monegasque grained his tyres badly while trying to overtake Mercedes‘ George Russell for the lead, overtaking his teammate cleanly before pulling away a little.

But, in the second stint, now on the hard tyre, Sainz was the one to grain his tyres while Leclerc and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton caught up on him – leading the Spaniard to pick his moment carefully before releasing Leclerc.

The timing of the final stops meant Leclerc and Sainz merged on track, with the Spaniard seeming to go against instruction by overtaking his teammate – a position he then held to the end of the race.

Let’s review the race team radio to see the instructions given to both Leclerc and Sainz.

BB: Bryan Bozzi, Charles Leclerc’s race engineer
CL: Charles Leclerc

RA: Riccardo Adami, Carlos Sainz’s race engineer
CS: Carlos Sainz

Lap 3:

BB: Consider Mode TS, priority on tyres, Mode TS.

Lap 5:

RA: Switch position yellow, and Mode X, Mode X, for one lap to see.

Lap 9: Sainz pits to swap his medium tyres for hards.

Lap 10:

BB: Charles, if we stop, we finish behind everyone, then we need to make it through.

CL: [Unclear]… I’m telling you it’s like having a puncture.

BB: Box Charles box, box Charles box, flap update.

Lap 10: Leclerc pits to swap his medium tyres for hards.

Lap 11:

BB: Tyres is a priority, save in the corners we discussed.

Lap 15:

CS: Correct me if I’m wrong but it feels more like [unclear].

Lap 19:

CS: Is it going to be Plan C, because it changes everything? [seemingly asking whether it is a one-stop or two-stop race]

RA: Give us two laps, I will come back to you.

Lap 22:

RA: Still the preferred for now is Plan A for now, Plan A, unless graining kicks in. [Suggesting one-stop]

Lap 25:

RA: We’ll go plan C. [Suggesting two-stop]

Lap 26: Sainz leads Leclerc and Hamilton, with Sainz given his instruction to release Leclerc.

RA: Do not slow down Charles.
CS: If you want, we can box this lap.
RA: Copy, understood.
CS: Let’s get off these tyres.
RA: And let Charles by. And staying out for this lap. Still opening on Tsunoda.

BB to CL: We will swap cars into last corner.
CS: Who is behind Charles?
RA: Hamilton.
CS: I’ll let him by in Turn 5.

The swap does not occur.
CL: Nice swap, amazing.

Lap 27:

BB: He said into Turn 5 now.
RA: Careful, Hamilton right behind Charles, he’s half a second behind.
CS: Copy.
CL: F**k’s sake guys, f**k’s sake. He has to know I’m killing my front like this. F**king stupid.

CS: I’m going to lose time here.
RA: Okay to box, box this lap. Let Charles by, let Charles by, and box.

BB: He will let you by now.
RA: Let him by in [Turn 14].

Sainz manages to get Leclerc past him while holding Hamilton at bay.
RA: And box Carlos, box. Pit confirm and box.
RA: Stay out, stay out, stay out!

Sainz, having begun entering the pitlane, rejoins the track to continue, while Hamilton does pit.

More on the Las Vegas Grand Prix

👉 Las Vegas GP driver ratings: Russell top of the class as Verstappen does what’s necessary

👉 Las Vegas GP conclusions: Verstappen unbeatable, Hamilton v Leclerc clues, Red Bull warning

Lap 28: Sainz pits to take another set of hard tyres

CS: What happened?
RA: We were not ready.
CS: Wake up guys! Come on!

BB: So Hamilton boxed, and Verstappen boxed. You are now P2, Russell P1.

Lap 31: Leclerc pits to swap his mediums for hards.

BB: Watch the white line. Watch the white line, and box Charles, box.

RA: Charles is boxing.

RA: Do not put him [Charles] under pressure.

BB: Carlos has been told to not overtake, but it’s really close, he might just be in front.

BB: He has been told to not put you under pressure.

Sainz latches on to Leclerc, with the Spaniard clearly enjoying better grip as his tyres have warmed up during his three laps on-track. He uses DRS to overtake Leclerc, and immediately begins pulling away.

BB: Do not push in the corners. Do what you did before, it’s a long race. Do not grain that front-right tyre.

CL: Maybe try in Spanish!

Lap 50: Chequered flag. Sainz finishes ahead of Leclerc.

CL: Was that the chequered flag?
BB: Yes. Pick up [marbles], please.
CL: Yes, whatever you want, as always.
BB: Charles, you did your job, OK. Thank you.
CL: Yeah yeah yeah I did my job but being nice f**ks me over all the f**king time, all the f**king time. It’s not even being nice, it’s just being respectful.
BB: Charles, Charles.
CL: I know I need to shut up but at one points it’s always the same, so… oh my f**king god.
BB: OK. But, anyway, you did the right thing for the team. And pick up please.
CL: Yeah yeah f**king pick up what the f**k we want… S**t, s**t, s**t, the radio is on. I’m sorry, that was on me.
CL: And where were McLaren at least?
BB: McLaren were P6 and P7, and we finished P4. Sainz P3, Verstappen P5.

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