Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will not be Red Bull’s tཧop competition this 🀅season because they make “silly mistakes”, Ralf Schumacher says.

Sa💞inz became the only non-Red Bull driver to win an F1 grand prix last season when he claimed victory in Singapore.

But Fer▨rari were not always Red Bull’s closest competitors, and they slipped behind McLaren and Mercedes by the end of the year.

Asked if he was ruling out the Ferrari duoღ as top challengers to Max Verstappen, Schu🍸macher told the  podcast: “For me, yes.

“It could be possible but, the drivers?

“You never know what they will do.

“They lead a race and they spin off, they crash, they make silly mistakes which often sur𒐪prises me.”

However, Schumacher (whose legendary brother Michael Schumacher won five championships in a row with Ferrari) does see reason for optimism🍷 at the Italian team.

“Fred Vasseur is doing a good job at Ferrari♔,” he said of the team principal who will take charge of his sꦗecond season in 2024.

“You can𝐆 see ꦍthe group is growing together. There are less mistakes. Very good pit stops.

“But, at the moment, I do not see them as the biggest🦂 contender.

“Maybe I am wrong.

“You will see at the first test and in the first twoℱ races. It will be easier to judge.”

Leclerc finished fifth, and Sainz seventh, 🦹in the 2023 F1 standings.

But Ferrari’s long wait to crown a drivers’ champi🐈on - their first since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007✨ - goes on.

There is hope in Italy sur💝rounding the 676, their💝 F1 2024 car.

It passed its first crash test and, unlike last year, hit the weight ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚlimit at its first attempt meaning they🤡 have succeeded in making their car lighter.

Ferrari are also busily trying to agree new contracts to reaffirm their faith in the drivers who Schumach🐲er doubts.

Leclerc’s deal is reportedly taking priority, before Sainz’s will become th𝔍e focus.