Ferrari will give Vettel "priority" over Leclerc if required
Ferrari is willing to proritise Sebastian Vettel over his new Formula 1 teammate Charles Leclerc if required in the early stages of the 2019 season.


The Scuderia has historically not shied away from team orders, and Vettel, who spearheaded its ultimately unsuccessful title challenges in the past two years, has often enjoyed preferential treatment over his now-former teammate Kimi Raikkonen when it came to strategy.
But the Italian team was criticised for its application of the policy last year, as it frustrated Raikkonen with overly vague instructions during the German Grand Prix and then allowed the Finn to battle Vettel at the start at Monza after a Ferrari front-row lock-out.
Ferrari's hesitant approach was regarded in sharp contrast to rival team Mercedes' handling of team orders in the Russian GP later that season.
Raikkonen is replaced by 2018 rookie star Charles Leclerc this year, but while the Monegasque has been tipped by many to give Vettel a tougher challenge, team boss Mattia Binotto has confirmed he would not have completely equal standing with the four-time world champion at the start of the season.
“I think it’s normal, especially early in the season, that if there are particular situations our priority will be Sebastian,” Binotto said at the launch of Ferrari's new SF90 challenger.
“He is the guide with which we aim for the championship.
“But there's no prejudice - the absolute priority is for Ferrari to win.”
Read Also:
The partnership between Vettel and Raikkonen was one of the more harmonious in the F1 paddock, but Binotto – who replaced Maurizio Arrivabene as team boss in the off-season – does not expect the Monegasque's presence to be disruptive.
“To have a driver pairing so competitive I think it’s not a problem but an opportunity,” Binotto said.
“Sebastian has little to prove, and he remains our guide. Charles still has to learn, as pointed out by himself, but we know how talented he is.
“Anyway, I hope to have this problem of having two drivers to manage among the top positions.”
After his Ferrari switch was confirmed last year, Leclerc said he would target winning the drivers' title in his first year should the team maintain its frontrunning form from 2018.
Asked during the 2019 launch whether he was thinking of the title heading into the campaign, Leclerc said: “I do not think about the championship, I have so much to do in front of me.
“I'll have a good reference thanks to Sebastian, right now I don't want to aim for anything but just to work.
“Then we'll see what will come.”

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, Mattia Binotto, Ferrari Team Principal
Photo by: Ferrari

Ferrari's new matte paint a performance benefit
Smedley gets F1 role after Williams departure

Latest news
The combination behind the Silverstone battles that showed "F1 at its best"
OPINION: The late battling in the British Grand Prix wowed Formula 1 fans and surely represents the best racing action of the season so far. And there was a cocktail of factors that created the action, from which Carlos Sainz emerged as a popular new winner.
How Ferrari's Monaco headache became its Silverstone migraine
OPINION: Ferrari won the British Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz, but it ultimately cost Charles Leclerc a chance to make a bigger dent in Max Verstappen's title lead by leaving the Monegasque out on old tyres towards the end. Like Monaco, indecision over strategy proved to be the Scuderia's biggest issue - and if the team doesn't reflect, the headache can only intensify
The five factors that won Sainz a British GP he’d twice lost
Formula 1 has a newest race winner, in a grand prix the victor appeared to have lost twice, only to charge back to headline a sensational and dramatic British Grand Prix. From a massive start crash to a late sprint finish, here’s how five factors saw Carlos Sainz take his maiden grand prix win
Why there was no case to answer in Aston's latest F1 copycat saga
The appearance of a revised Aston Martin in Spain caused controversy but PAT SYMONDS explains why the FIA investigation found the Silverstone team had no case to answer
Why it's Red Bull that really leads a three-way fight so far at Silverstone
After a slow start to Friday at Silverstone, all the Formula 1 teams had to effectively cram in a day’s worth of practice into one hour. But there was still plenty to learn and while Ferrari topped the times, a three-way battle is brewing ahead of the British Grand Prix
Verstappen exclusive: Why F1's champion isn't fazed by Silverstone return
Max Verstappen is the world’s number one racing driver… and he’s determined to keep it that way. Speaking exclusively to GP Racing's OLEG KARPOV, the Red Bull driver explains why he’s relishing the 2022 championship battle with Charles Leclerc – and why he’s not worried about returning to Silverstone, the scene of the biggest accident of his career last year
Why Red Bull’s RB17 hypercar can help its F1 team
On Tuesday, Red Bull laid out its plans to develop and build a new hypercar - the RB17 - penned by Adrian Newey. As the project itself sates Newey as a creative outlet, it also offers Red Bull's Formula 1 team a number of new and exciting avenues to pursue.
What to expect from Mercedes as F1 returns to Silverstone
OPINION: The British Grand Prix is a home event for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, with their Mercedes team based just a few miles away too. But there’s another reason why the Silver Arrows squad is eager to arrive at Silverstone this weekend, which may help it fix its remaining problems with its 2022 Formula 1 challenger .