Carlos Sainz is pragmatic. He doesn’t want to deceive the Prancing Horse fans before the Italian GP, even if the Spaniard, deep down, has the confidence that Monza can certainly be better than the disappointing Zandvoort. But without proclamations, remaining with one’s feet firmly planted on the ground. The Madrid-born suggests that the Scuderia is dedicating all its energies to the 2024 single-seater and the rest of the season will be used to carry out useful experiments for next year, without forgetting that there is a placement in the Constructors’ championship to be achieved. A coincidence of intentions that will not be easy to coexist, making targeted choices in one direction rather than the other.
Monza will not be part of the experiments, Ferrari will try to show its best face in front of its audience. Then on the SF-23 we will see some updates until Austin, but it is not said that they will be solutions to improve performance or to carry out useful experiments next year…
“We know what we did wrong. And it’s no coincidence that we’re spending hours in the simulator with the aim of understanding: we know that the F1 car is built at the last moment trying to bring along the information that comes from the simulations”.
Does this looking to the future suggest that the problem of premature tire wear is innate to the car and cannot be solved during the season?
“There are some circuits where the problem was less evident than in others. Where there was little tire degradation we were competitive: the example is given by Austria where we were strong throughout the weekend and by Spa where the car went well. On tracks like Barcelona the wear problems had already emerged on Friday and then we found them again in the race. The same goes for Zandvoort and Hungary. I think the problem lies inside the car, but there are tracks where you can see more than others”.
“We should go better at Monza because usually there isn’t much wind, there aren’t very long corners and it’s an aerodynamic efficiency circuit: something more like Spa. I’m a little more optimistic, but this year I’ve so many predictions were wrong that they prefer not to risk any more”.
Do you have a goal to finish in front of Charles?
“No, my goal is to score the maximum points for the team and then whether I’m ahead or behind Charles will be irrelevant, since we’re not fighting for the world championship. The number one objective of the season is to continue testing for next year’s car, even if we have to sacrifice Fridays to learn a few things for the future. It’s more important to compromise a result to get information about next year than to be one position ahead or behind in the championship.”
But can you already “drive” some 2024 solutions on the simulator?
“First you have to replicate all the parameters of this year’s car on the simulator. Once you get this data you can change the parameters to the simulator to overcome the problems we have today, such as the sensitivity of the car to the wind or the difficulty on highly loaded tracks. At that point it is possible to alter the simulator to aim for a car that gives you more confidence and is more stable, with better balance ”.
“Having done this, it is possible to find a performance advantage that you try to transfer them to the wind tunnel and to the 2024 car. This is how F1 has been working for several years, but there is not only the simulator, but many other simulation programs that help you grow. But despite everything, the most important thing remains the work on the track, so it will be important to try some things on Friday that maybe can be applied to next year’s red…”.
In the missing tracks, which ones suit Ferrari the most?
“I repeat what I said before, I had made some predictions in which I believed we would go strong and then we didn’t, so I prefer not to make predictions. This year Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin and sometimes Alpine and even Williams are all within a tenth. And you don’t know if that tenth goes in your direction or in that of your opponents, so it’s better not to make any predictions. We have to aim for weekends like in Austria and Spa, but if you look at the progress of the Ferrari season you can understand for yourself where we could go better…”.
Will you also sacrifice Monza?
“No, Monza is a particular track that needs to be prepared and let’s not forget that there is a Constructors’ World Championship that we mustn’t lose sight of. It will be necessary to find the right balance between the tests to be performed for next year and the results to be achieved this year. Therefore, it will be important to choose well the weekends in which you can afford to experiment. Monza is not an appointment for testing. And Singapore is also a particular track, while we’ll have to wait for more normal tracks to do the experiments”.
There are those who are already looking at the future single-seaters of 2026: Carlos doesn’t look that far, his attention is more polarized today…
“Compared to last year, following the car in front of you has become more difficult. In 2022 we had done a good job with F1 which had produced beautiful and spectacular races, while now it is getting worse and will get worse and worse in 2024 and 2025″.
Spanish touches on another theme that is often kept under wraps…
“Physically these machines are very demanding. The rigidity of the set-ups has repercussions on the pilots’ backs. F1 is looking for performance and the harder you go the faster you go. The result is that several riders have begun to have back problems”.
Race to Monza with a livery celebrating the success of the 499P at Le Mans. Would you like to run the 24 Hours?
“I see it in my career. I hope to stay in F1 for a very long time, but it’s a natural step and Le Mans could be an option for the future, but I also see other things…”.
The Dakar?
“Let’s hope. We’ll see where my head takes me in ten years.”
Well doing a Dakar with your father could be a good challenge?
“Well who would be the pilot? I’m not willing to be his co-pilot and I don’t think he’s willing to be my navigator either. If we were to do it we would have to run against each other. But I don’t have much to do against him there.”
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