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

Sainz became the only non-Red Bull ဣdriver to win an F1 grand prix last season when he claimed v🦹ictory in Singapore.

But Ferrari were not꧋ alw🌜ays 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 duo as top challengers to Max Verstappen, Schumacher told the&ไnb♎sp; 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 surprises 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 s൩aid of the team principal who will take charge of his second season in 2024.

“You can see the group is growing together. There are less mistakes. 🌠Very ꦺgood pit stops.

“But, at the moment, I do n💛ot see them as the biggest contender.

“Maybe I am wrong.

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

Leclerc fiꦇnished෴ fifth, and Sainz seventh, in the 2023 F1 standings.

But Ferrari’s long♌ wait to crown a drivers’ champion - their first since⛎ Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 - goes on.

There is hope in Italy sur𝔍rounding the 676, their F1 2024 car.

It passed its first crash test and, unlike last year, hit the weight limit at its first attempt meaning they have succeeded in making🗹 the🎃ir car lighter.

Ferrari are also busily trying to agree new contrac♍ts to reaffirm their faith in the drivers who Schumacher doubts.

Leclerc’s deal is reportedly taking priority, before Sainz’s w𒆙ill 🅰become the focus.