Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has conceded that he has lost confidence in his SF-24 after a number of stability points hindered him throughout the practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Sainz struggled for tempo over the weekend of the Monaco Grand Prix. The Spaniard was unable to match his team-mate Charles Leclerc’s throughout Friday’s practice periods, however he managed to take a step ahead for the all-important qualifying session, securing the third beginning place behind the Monegasque and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
In the race, Sainz had a fantastic getaway at the begin and appeared to problem Piastri for P2, however the pair collided at the exit of the Sainte Devote nook.
The Spaniard suffered a puncture, however he managed to get well his beginning place as the race was stopped on the opening lap following the heavy crash between Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen and Red Bull racer Sergio Perez.
Speaking of his weekend, Sainz added: “From my facet, I’ve seen the identical Charles that I’ve seen every other yr in Monaco. Obviously, it is your house race, so that you clearly can inform he is a really busy man when he is in Monaco. But nothing completely different.
“He’s a man that he is all the time been tremendous fast round Monaco. He has carried out exceptionally nicely. The solely factor I noticed completely different is that he appeared to be in Q3 run two already in FP1, Q3 run two mode. And yeah, I had my moments making an attempt to get to that stage of pushing after which I lost confidence.
“And then while we are normally within half a tenth of each other, this week in those two, three moments in FP1 and FP2 it just put me a step behind in confidence and I couldn’t quite get close enough in quali.'”
Putting in a Super Sunday for a podium end ✌️ bravo @Carlossainz55#MonacoGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/LMnMfqInuG
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) May 26, 2024
Asked whether or not Ferrari can show equally robust efficiency in the remainder of the season, the Madrid-born racer mentioned: “I assume we can have… I assume Ferrari we can have our alternatives in these form of tracks.
“I assume McLaren can have their alternatives, however when I discuss a standard observe we will discuss possibly a Barcelona. Canada, I assume is kind of particular however a Barcelona or any European observe, the place I think about it to be a standard observe, I nonetheless assume Red Bull will probably be favourites, however I do not assume they will dominate like they used to do.
“And I assume that is excellent news for the championship. And it is simply price being inside a tenth or two in quali, that even when they’re favourites, they can’t afford to do any errors.
“And that’s where both Ferrari and McLaren, we can capitalise, which is a position that in Bahrain Race 1, no one was there to be there,” Sainz concluded.
