Carlos Sainz finds himself in a tricky spot in his final season as a Ferrari driver. While there’s a part of him that wants to dream of a Ferrari title fight, his common sense tells him otherwise. Despite Ferrari’s recent successes, Sainz believes Red Bull remains the team to beat for the F1 2024 title.
In what has been a thrilling start to the F1 2024 season, three different teams—McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari—have each claimed victories in the last three races. McLaren took the Miami Grand Prix with their upgraded MCL38, Max Verstappen narrowly beat Lando Norris at Imola, and Ferrari triumphed at Monaco. These results have put Ferrari just 24 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ standings, with Charles Leclerc 31 points adrift of Verstappen in the Drivers’ standings.
Sainz, however, remains cautious. He points out that Red Bull has encountered specific issues, such as their performance at Monaco, but anticipates they will dominate once again on more conventional tracks. ‘I think my common sense tells me that on normal tracks Red Bull should still be favorites,’ he stated. While he hopes the level of domination will decrease, he still believes Red Bull will have the upper hand over Ferrari and McLaren.
Sainz defines ‘normal’ tracks as circuits like Barcelona, contrasting them to unique tracks like Montreal. He believes that on these regular tracks, Red Bull’s dominance will be challenged but not eradicated. ‘I still think Red Bull will be favorites, but I don’t think they’ll dominate like they used to. That’s good news for the championship,’ he added.
The Spaniard also noted that being merely within a tenth or two of Red Bull during qualifying could open up opportunities for competitive teams like Ferrari and McLaren. ‘It still means that any small progress, any small upgrade, any small thing that we bring to the car might switch it to a potential race victory or a winning car,’ Sainz explained. The recent success in Monaco, a track that traditionally favors Ferrari, serves as an example of how close battles can turn into victories.
Reflecting on Red Bull’s vulnerability under pressure, Sainz highlighted recent errors from Max Verstappen and Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez in qualifying rounds. He stresses the importance of maintaining pressure on Red Bull to capitalize on such mistakes. ‘We all just need to be there to show that these things can happen to Red Bull too,’ he said.
Carlos Sainz’s balanced perspective mixes cautious optimism with realistic expectations. While Ferrari’s current form is promising, he acknowledges the significant challenge that Red Bull presents. It’s a tightly contested season where even the smallest advantage can make the difference. Sainz believes that staying close and capitalizing on any missteps from Red Bull will be key to competing for the title in F1 2024.
Source: Planetf1
