Carlos Sainz reveals regular "arguments" with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari

Carlos Sainz believes that arguments "are always going to happen" when two top drivers share a team, conceding to regular arguments with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.

Ferrari has come under the spotlight in recent weeks for failing to prioritise the championship chances of Lewis Hamilton, with a lack of urgency in using team orders at Zandvoort potentially costing the seven-time champion points, and a clash between the Ferrari team-mates at Monza causing further difficulties.

Speaking after a disastrous Italian Grand Prix where Hamilton finished sixth and saw his championship hopes fade, team principal Fred Vasseur stated a belief that Monza was 'too soon' to consider using team orders. 

However, having made his frustrations known via the team radio, Hamilton believes the moment to prioritise his bid has now passed, and all but conceded defeat to Kimi Antonelli in the race. 

Asked about his experience of team orders at Ferrari and for his thoughts on the current predicament, Sainz said: "I can tell you that when you have two competitive teammates, these kinds of situations are always going to happen. 

"Me with Charles, always twice, two or three times a year, we always had a bit of a discussion or an argument, but after the race or the morning after, we would call each other and sort it out. 

"It's normal when you're fighting for podiums or wins in a competitive team, and there are situations into Turn 1 or situations fighting in the race or with strategy, you always end up one day being not happy with the way it's been handled, and the next day, maybe you've been favoured. It's always the same case. 

"I don't know the way it's been handled right now, but when I was there in Ferrari with Charles, we would always sort it out among each other, and we would get on with it."

Sitting alongside Sainz in the press conference was Hamilton's former Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. When asked how things worked during that period, he joked: "Confidential. Contractual stuff."

The Cadillac driver added: "Every team obviously operates differently. You have different rules, but around that time, it was very clear that you need to race fair and clean. 

"There are certain rules in certain situations, which I don't want to go into detail about; you can use your imagination. But it's just how the sport works, and sometimes you get it better, sometimes you get it worse."