Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz is optimistic about his team’s ability to narrow the gap to Red Bull during the winter break, aiming for a competitive edge in the upcoming 2024 season. Despite winning the Singapore Grand Prix in a 2023 season largely dominated by Red Bull, Ferrari fell to second place in the constructors’ championship behind Mercedes.
Expressing confidence in Ferrari’s potential for improvement, Sainz acknowledged that McLaren’s notable performance gains during the 2023 season serve as an encouraging precedent. Drawing parallels, he believes Ferrari can make substantial advancements over the winter, trusting the team’s capabilities to turn things around.
Highlighting specific areas for improvement, Sainz emphasized Ferrari’s strengths, including straight-line speed, braking performance, and effectiveness in 90-degree corners. The team secured seven pole positions during the season, showcasing competitiveness in qualifying. Sainz, who secured poles at Monza and Singapore, expressed his desire to carry over these positive aspects to Ferrari’s 2024 car.
However, acknowledging the “peaky” performance level of the SF-23 during the season, both Sainz and teammate Charles Leclerc voiced concerns. In light of these issues, Sainz emphasized the importance of developing a more well-rounded car for the 2024 season. He emphasized the need to sacrifice some strengths to ensure consistent performance across various circuits, particularly in races where Ferrari struggled to match the race pace of Red Bull and McLaren.
Sainz identified the races in Brazil and Austin as examples where Ferrari faced challenges in maintaining competitive race pace. Looking ahead to 2024, he emphasized the necessity of understanding the impact on the car and tires to address the factors limiting Ferrari’s competitiveness in races throughout the season.
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