In Barcelona Ferrari will show up with a large package of new features, which includes several new features, including a revised bottom and modified bodywork. An important job, with which the Prancing Horse team hopes to start remedying some of the car’s weak points, such as its unpredictability in the fastest sections, an aspect which has led the drivers to make mistakes on several occasions.
Another issue on which the team from Maranello is trying to work is that of consistency throughout the weekend, because the SF-23 proved to be a potentially fast car in qualifying but also very unfriendly in the race. The hope is that the new Spanish package, which will only be the first evolutionary step of a new development path, can confirm that the direction chosen by the engineers is the correct one.
Sainz wanted to recognize the efforts of the team which, according to the Cavallino driver, anticipated a package should have arrived much later in the season: “Here we bring a new package, you can’t imagine the effort Maranello has made to try to carry on with this package, it should have arrived much later in the season and the whole factory has worked hard in recent months, due to the situation, to try to anticipate it ”.
Ferrari SF-23, technical detail
Photo by: George Piola
Clearly, however, an attempt is being made to keep a low profile as to how much this package can actually deliver in terms of performance. As for Mercedes, which brought the news at the last Grand Prix in Monaco, in the immediate future it will be important to try to understand if the data on the track correspond to expectations: “We have a package of updates, but only time will tell how good it is.” . It’s sort of a new direction towards what we believe is the right path to develop this car and make it more drivable, more consistent in the race, our biggest weaknesses.”
“We know it hasn’t been an easy start to the season, but it’s true that this first step in this direction will try to correct the weaknesses. But we also know that these updates are not going to be life changing, they are not going to completely change the situation from one race to the next. It is the first step of others who will arrive,” added the Madrid-born.
Over the course of this weekend Sainz will contest his home Grand Prix at a track where he has often performed well in the past. From this point of view, Carlos believes that the home air can give him an extra boost: “It’s very special as you can imagine. It’s great to come home, even at a track where I’ve done well in the past. There are so many good memories, even from when I was just a child, when I was only ten years old and I met Fernando for the first time [Alonso]Michael [Schumacher], I also saw Ferrari for the first time. Now, 18 years later, to be here as a Ferrari driver with the possibility of finishing on the podium or aiming for victory is something special.”
Sainz during the press conference in Barcelona
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“It definitely gives me something extra this weekend, I have a better mood when I compete at home. I feel more interest, I feel more energy, you smile because you see the fans cheering for you in the stands who push you. Spain is the track where I’ve scored the most points in my career together with Monaco and Austin, so it’s positive for me.”
With the two Red Bulls which, at least on paper, seem to have a rather important advantage over the competition, the fight with Mercedes and Aston Martin could once again be relegated to the third step of the podium. Seeing two Spanish riders on the podium could be, at least on paper, a very complicated scenario to implement: “I don’t think it’s impossible. Of course, if the Red Bulls dominate, there will be a step on the podium where Charles and I will try to fight against Fernando, Lance and the two Mercedes, and it’s a constant battle every weekend.”
“Yes, Aston generally have the best package in the race, but we are bringing updates to our car to be quicker. Also, there are tracks where we were able to beat Red Bull in qualifying, but I think Red Bull will still have a few races ahead before anyone worries them, because they are at a very high level, they have made a very good car. good,” Sainz added.
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