Leclerc ’unwell’ at Monza after Binotto dispute - report

There was more than meets the eye and the ear about Charles Leclerc’s minor medical episode last weekend at Monza.

In Friday practice, the Monaco-born driver told Ferrari over the radio: "I need to box. I cannot explain it here."

Leclerc briefly visited the medical centre but was discharged soon after and he ultimately completed the remainder of the Italian GP weekend.

According to the specialist f1sport.it portal, Ferrari’s explanation that Leclerc was simply feeling "slightly unwell" requires more detail.

The publication claims the source of the 23-year-old’s illness was the "very hard words" he had exchanged with his boss Mattia Binotto some time before the session.

F1sport.it says even Leclerc’s well-known manager Nicolas Todt had to get involved.

According to the rumour, the nausea and headache was the result of "the tension and anger that had accumulated in the previous hours".

The publication says Binotto had triggered the angst by informing Leclerc that Ferrari would focus more on teammate Carlos Sainz’s development input, because the Spaniard’s feedback is more reliable.

"Ferrari is something unique," Binotto is quoted as saying by sports.ru.

"The most important thing to understand is that this is a unique family, a unique phenomenon. I always tell my guys: it’s more important to be Ferrari than to win, because victories are just a consequence of being Ferrari.

"I cite the example of Gilles Villeneuve," the Italian added. "He was a fantastic driver who actually won very little.

"But his demeanour, his driving style, his passion had a huge impact."