Neither Ferrari driver may put a finger on why the automotive’s efficiency was not at the usual of their rivals through the moist working on the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc got here dwelling fifth, bettering one place on his qualifying place, however was over half a minute behind race winner Max Verstappen, who lower his approach by way of the sector to take victory from seventeenth.
Whereas Leclerc’s weekend was forgettable, Sainz’s was depressing as he crashed out in each qualifying and the race earlier than being hit with a stewards’ reprimand for harmful driving as he tried to drive off in his stricken Ferrari regardless of marshals already being on the scene.
The result in Brazil was as gloomy because the weekend climate, particularly contemplating Sainz’s victory in Mexico and Leclerc’s success in Austin on the different races throughout F1’s newest triple-header.
“I’ve all the time been a really sturdy driver within the moist however for some purpose, ever since I’ve tried this automotive within the moist, I’ve by no means had a very good feeling with it,” defined Sainz.
“I don’t know if we simply don’t put vitality into the tyres, we run it too stiff within the medium to excessive pace, or what it’s. It’s clear that it is vitally troublesome and unpredictable to drive.
Marshals take away the broken automotive of Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, after a crash
Picture by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Photographs
“I’m happy that Charles managed to carry it dwelling in P5. I heard he was additionally struggling, so a little bit of a nightmare the entire race, however hopefully some dry races arising and we’ll attempt to go for it.”
Leclerc was ready to shoulder among the blame for the poor efficiency however was happy that his fifth place retains Ferrari second within the constructors’ standings, the place it sits 36 factors behind leaders McLaren.
“Actually by no means,” the Monegasque replied when requested if the automotive didn’t just like the moist or intermediate tyre through the race.
“I feel I am partly in charge as a result of clearly we determine the set-ups along with the crew. I wished to go in a path, nevertheless it was the unsuitable one, for certain. The tempo was simply not there, whether or not it was in qualifying, the place I feel in qualifying we truly weren’t too unhealthy.
“With the brand new tyres, low gas, you possibly can extract extra out of the automotive, however within the race, we had been nowhere – and greater than being nowhere, it was extraordinarily troublesome to drive, extraordinarily troublesome to not do any errors.
“On the finish, all this, the one factor we could possibly be slightly bit happy of is being in entrance of the 2 McLarens and to solely lose 4 factors within the constructors is large injury limitation on the weekend the place they appear to be so sturdy.”
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
Ferrari has been in high-quality type of late and will nonetheless declare a primary constructors’ crown since 2008 if they will reel in and go McLaren within the closing weeks of the season – beginning in Las Vegas later this month.
“We will probably be alive till the very finish,” added Sainz. “Three weekends now arising which are going to be essential for the entire crew and now we have to refocus, regroup and see how we are able to strategy these final three races in the very best approach.”