Vasseur: 'Fight between Leclerc and Sainz too much of a good thing'

It was a tumultuous day for Ferrari in Shanghai. Both drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, clashed fiercely during the sprint race and later that afternoon finished sixth and seventh respectively in qualifying for tomorrow's Grand Prix. Team boss Frederic Vasseur looks back on Saturday with mixed feelings.

Speaking to Viaplay after qualifying, the Frenchman stated the following: " think that we were expecting a little bit more. This session was difficult for different reasons. The crash with Carlos, and the fact that we were a bit lost at the beginning of Q1 with Charles. It was very inconsistent, not only for us but for everybody."

In the sprint race before qualifying, the Ferrari drivers squabbled and made contact. Although Vasseur held his heart during that moment, he says the tension has all been ironed out. "It was a bit too harsh, probably. But I think that Carlos was coming just after the fight with Fernando. He made a bit of contact with Fernando. He damaged the car and I think he was a bit too nervous. But it's OK."

Finally, Ferrari's frontman looks ahead to tomorrow's race. He considers his drivers capable of making ground in the race. "We built up the strategy for Sunday. And we'll see tomorrow if it will pay off. The race tomorrow will be a bit different with the strategy. But I think we have a good chance to come back."