Ferrari: Q3 incident won't impact Vettel-Leclerc relationship

Ferrari Formula 1 chief Mattia Binotto is confident the incident between Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix will have no impact on their relationship as teammates.

Vettel was left frustrated after Leclerc failed to position himself early to give him a tow for the final runs in Q3, which ended in all but two drivers missing the chequered flag as the field bunched up.

Leclerc went on to win the race at Monza from pole position, while Vettel started fourth and finished outside of the points after a spin and a penalty.

After Leclerc took the flag, Binotto told him over team radio he was “forgiven” in Italian, later elaborating that it meant “whatever happened in the last days that we discussed, that is something that will remain between us three.”

Asked if what happened in qualifying would have any bearing on the relationship between Vettel and Leclerc, Binotto replied: “It will not affect it.

“It was something we discussed internally, maybe with a different point of view. The outcome was certainly a strange situation for everybody.

“More important was what Seb said, turn the page, and looking ahead. So it will not affect it. It doesn’t mean it might not happen again, because you never know.

“But the spirit is, what you make, there is something to learn, and it is more important to make sure it’s a lesson learned.”

Leclerc’s victory at Monza marked a shift in momentum at Ferrari as he became the team’s first home winner since 2010, as well as moving ahead of Vettel in the championship standings.