Ferrari's 2020 nightmare is now a thing of the past as the Italian team enjoys a resurgence in 2021. The Scuderia are battling McLaren for third place in the constructors' championship and have enjoyed battles at the front of the field in the first half of the season.

Mattia Binotto, the Ferrari team principal, believes the resurgence is due to the team's new driver pairing, which he thinks is the best on the grid. Carlos Sainz arrived from McLaren in 2021 and has formed a formidable pairing alongside Charles Leclerlc.

Ferrari finished sixth in the Constructors' championship last season with a total of 131 points. The Maranello team have already eclipsed that total in the first 11 races in 2021, and are currently in third place with 163 points.

Binotto's claim of having the strongest driver pairing has been backed up by both Ferrari drivers scoring points strongly this season. After a strong run in recent races, Sainz is now ahead of Leclerc by three points with 83 after 11 races.

"We have the best line-up on the grid at Ferrari. Carlos is excellently integrated within the team and is improving himself every race. He provides an excellent frame of reference for Charles, who is really pushed to the limit," Binotto said, as quoted by Give Me Sport.

"They both now have 80 points in the title race, which just goes to show how important it is to have two scoring drivers in the title race. We will have a lot of fun with these two guys in the future. This is why we have recruited Sainz."

Sainz and Leclerc are currently sixth and seventh in the Drivers' championship respectively. They are behind the two Mercedes and Red Bull drivers and McLaren's Lando Norris. However, if Ferrari do build a title contender in 2022, the consistency of their two drivers could see them challenge the best for not only the team title but also the Drivers' championship.

Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc wins the Italian GP a week after his first ever F1 triumph Andrej ISAKOVIC/AFP