Ferrari had a strong start last season, being in the running for the championship. However, their luck has not been the same in 2023, as they have only achieved three podium finishes so far this season.
All three have been courtesy of Charles Leclerc as Sainz has not managed to stand among the top three finishers this season, as an inconsistent SF-23 car has vacillated throughout the top 10 order.
The continued battle with Mercedes, allied to the greater competitiveness of Aston Martin and now McLaren, has offered Ferrari stern competition with mere tenths between each team. This has proven to be the difference between top three results and finishes amid the lower reaches of the points.
Sainz believes that due to the intensity of these competitions, Ferrari should appreciate achieving average results more frequently. In this regard, he also mentioned that the team and drivers should be content with weekends where the outcomes may not be outstanding, as long as they have given their best effort.
“It became evident early on that Red Bull had a significant advantage over us, which was quite frustrating. We knew it would be challenging to compete with them,” Sainz clarified.
“I believe we all anticipated the car to have greater competitiveness, ourselves to have greater competitiveness, and the competition has become extremely intense.”
Currently, you are experiencing significant fluctuations in performance. On certain weekends, you may find yourself competing for the third position, while on others, you may only manage to finish in eighth place. This variance in performance could mean that you are either slightly ahead or slightly behind the closely contested field by a margin of 0.1 seconds, which is relatively small.
At the beginning of the race, Carlos Sainz from Ferrari SF-23 and Oscar Piastri from McLaren MCL60 had a collision.
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
“The outcome appears significantly altered in Ferrari upon returning with a P3 or P8. We must now acknowledge that this is the battle we are engaged in.”
“If there comes a weekend where we must strive for P5 and that is the utmost we are capable of, we should rejoice in accomplishing the most we can with our resources this year.”
Sainz suggests that the team should refrain from pressuring itself to make unattainable promises and instead concentrate on carrying out its responsibilities during a race weekend in the appropriate manner.
He states that this will enable the team to increase their accumulation of points in the constructors’ championship, where they presently hold the fourth position, trailing Aston Martin by a mere five points.
“I cannot reword.”
“We aim to optimize our constructor points by prioritizing consistent performance and mastering the fundamental principles, rather than solely relying on winning or achieving podium finishes.”
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