F1 | Sainz: “Not much news, but Suzuka will show Ferrari's progress”

After the splendid victory in Australia, Carlos Sainz arrives in Japan with a smile, but also aware of the challenge that awaits the Cavallino on a circuit that on paper is more difficult for the SF-24 than Melbourne. Furthermore, Max Verstappen's retirement after a few laps due to a technical problem undoubtedly made Ferrari's task easier, which thus built the foundations for a double that had been missing for about two years.

Having turned the page, the focus is entirely on this weekend's round at Suzuka. The first positive sign comes from the Spanish rider himself, who has returned to training after a period of forced rest following the operation for appendicitis in Saudi Arabia.

In the following two weeks, Sainz was not able to train as he would have liked, but the post-Australia break period gave him the opportunity to get back into the rhythm and return to the gym. Although he currently cannot lift heavy loads yet, the Madrilenian has started training and feels close to 100% fitness again.

“This week I went cycling. I was in Australia for a week and started going to the gym again. Obviously I still can't lift heavy loads like I did in the past, but at least I can train and I feel close to 100% again,” Sainz told the press conference.

Attention has now shifted to Suzuka, a track that will tell a lot about Ferrari's progress in recent months. The SF-24 feels like a more complete car than its forebear, as it is not only easier for drivers to drive, but is also more predictable and kinder on the tyres. Furthermore, performing well in medium speed sections, it seems to adapt better to a wider range of scenarios than in the past. However, Suzuka also tests other aspects, such as high-speed corners.

Although the Ferrari car did not disfigure itself, both in Jeddah and Melbourne there was still a performance difference in the fastest corners and in the rapid changes of direction compared to Red Bull and McLaren. And it is precisely in these areas that the Red team seeks confirmation at Suzuka, one of the most technical tracks in the entire world championship.

“I think it's true that we did very well in Australia, but I think that normally in these cases it's enough to take the average of the first three races to understand where we are. And I believe that we are still a couple of tenths behind the Red Bulls and that we probably need to improve, especially on tracks like Suzuka, to be able to counter them”, said Sainz, before praising the work done by the team during the last few months, with the technical group creating a more balanced and consistent car than the limited SF-23.

Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari

Photo by: Mark Horsburgh / Motorsport Images

“I think the work done by the team this year is extremely good, because the car is a great step forward. We just need something more, especially if we want to win at circuits like Japan. There's no big news coming here. We have, I think, some small changes at the rear, but the most important changes will come later in the season. I hope that that package can be another good step in the right direction”, added the Ferrarista, explaining how the Cavallino did not bring any big news to Suzuka, while significant updates will arrive later in the championship, probably around the Imola round.

“I think last year Suzuka was one of the most challenging tracks for us compared to Red Bull. Four or five months ago we were, I think, seven or eight tenths away from them. So now we will be able to see where we are this year, see the improvements and understand if we can at least be closer.”

Although F1 clearly has a clear idea of ​​the value of a driver even in previous seasons, a good start to the season could undoubtedly represent an extra weapon for Sainz in negotiations to decide on his future. At the moment the Spaniard is talking with several teams, but behind the scenes there is a puzzle in which all the pieces must fit together to start negotiations. Precisely for this reason, Sainz would like to speed up the process, in order to soon find a new team with which to plan the future.

“Obviously we are talking to other teams because that's what me and my management have to do as we don't have a job for next year. We're talking to pretty much everyone. It's just a matter of delving into the details and seeing which options are the most realistic, which are the best for me and my future, but I don't have any news to give you today. The only thing I would say is that obviously it's time to speed things up a bit and hopefully we can resolve this matter as soon as possible.”