An excellent Ferrari, but Red Bull is something else
Can you be happy with a third and fourth place? No, not at all if we stop at the simple result. Yes, if we look in projection. Ferrari was not the protagonist at Suzuka and Red Bull clearly dominated: Verstappen did what he wanted, Perez played his role as squire and reached the finish line with a dozen seconds of separation, without making too much effort. An unquestionable one-two, a car that showed no tire degradation on a very difficult track, fast only when necessary, which is almost never.
An attacking Red
Against the best Red Bull of 2024, Ferrari did not disfigure itself. The 20 second gap to Sainz, third, means a sacrifice of 4 tenths per lap, which are not few. But there was no collapse, on the contrary, the SF-24s convinced, they attacked, they showed with Leclerc that they have completely overcome the difficulties of previous years, when the tires crumbled at distance. Both Carlito and Charles ran well and there wasn't even the thrill of the duel between the two, because when with 7 laps to go Sainz swooped like a hawk on Leclerc, the Monegasque stepped aside knowing that an attempt at resistance would have been useless. There has been no direct comparison with Red Bull, still too far ahead, but the Japanese GP has said that it is there concrete hope that Ferrari can win other races from here on out and provide emotions, even if in the fight for the title you have to be very realistic and will have to wait more time.
Sainz, once again, did better than Leclerc However, Charles' performance was no different: the real problem is that by starting eighth, he couldn't delude himself into thinking he could perform miracles. The almost obligatory strategy of a stop is brilliant, however, if Leclerc had started in the first two rows, the final result would not have been much different. It is obvious that the work will now have to focus on widening the 'window' in which the tires are able to perform at their best, especially in qualifying.
Mercedes further and further away
The good thing is that the Ferrari has shaken off the bugaboo of a McLaren which in the race is not as strong as in qualifying, while Suzuka decreed thefurther distancing of Mercedes from the high positions, with Hamilton (9th) who was once again slower than Russell (7th): and there are those in Ferrari who are starting to worry. Sainz is also worried, as he will leave a fully healthy team to go who knows where, given that all the other teams are in difficulty. But he diverts bad thoughts by thinking about the present, about the obligation of having to stay in front of Leclerc. He can't do anything else…
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