Sainz hopes Ferrari will “seize the opportunity” after Red Bull’s floor was revealed

In Monaco, the Principality’s cranes on its narrow streets caused major problems for several teams: Mercedes and Red Bull. The main secret that each team tries to hide is the appearance of the floor of their cars, which is the element of the current single-seater that provides the greatest downforce and is the most key to the car’s performance. This is the secret that everyone wants to know. Usually, it is not visible, hidden due to the short distance from the asphalt. But in Monaco, ‘Checo’ Pérez’s accident in qualifying had everyone grinning from ear to ear. Except for Red Bull. Cranes in Monaco, with complications to remove damaged cars between trees, lampposts and apartment blocks, had to raise the single-seater in front of several photographers who would take the most sought-after image. Quickly, these images reached the work tables of engineers in all factories. The goal: to understand how copying a basic idea works or adapt it to their cars to get closer to Red Bull. The Philosopher’s Stone.

For this reason, MD asked Carlos Sainz in his meeting with the Spanish press before the start of the Spanish F1 GP. Will Ferrari be able to take advantage of the fact that Red Bull ground has been spotted? Carlos didn’t hesitate to answer after a mischievous smile: “I hope so, that we don’t miss that opportunity. But come on, I have no doubt that Ferrari is looking at it, although you already know that copying F1 is not easy and it is also not easy to understand why they are doing it”.

While waiting for the realization of these conclusions from the study of the land of Red Bull, Carlos Sainz wants to highlight the enormous “effort” made by Ferrari to bring “a package of improvements that were not planned for Barcelona” and they did it ” in record time”. A source argued with MD that one of the main reasons for the introduction of these new parts, which Carlos said was clearly visible, was to improve the handling of a car that was very difficult to drive and caused some unexpected fear of drivers. , a car that you suddenly lose and can’t get back, like it happened to Carlos on Friday in Monaco, when he got caught in the wall, or like it happened to Leclerc in Miami. This newspaper also asked him about it. Carlos confirmed this.

“The improvement package mainly has two intentions: one is to improve the speed of the race, which is also related to the reason why the car is sometimes unpredictable and very variable from one session to the next and it is very difficult to drive again. from time to time as happened to us with Charles (Leclerc)”, he commented.

“We know that our weakness is the speed of the race above all. We know that after one lap we are not bad. But when the tires are a bit damaged, the car has more fuel and so on, we suffer at race pace and it’s something we’re trying to correct and we’ll try to take a small step forward this weekend. I’m hoping that what we bring this weekend shouldn’t change our lives, far from it, this is a first step, a step towards what we believe is the right direction, but more things will come and we will try to keep up with the race. to get closer to Red Bull”, he added in front of the Spanish press.

“Where are the improvements? You can see them… How did it end up in the simulator? I can’t talk about those things because they are very technical and I don’t want to reveal any secrets. What I can assure you is that we hope it will be a small step forward but that it will not be a life change”, he added, keeping secret what will begin to be revealed from now on in Barcelona.

ENVIRONMENT ON FERRARI AND RUMORS

“It’s not easy, we can’t fool ourselves. That then there are rumors and a lot of noise is not the ideal work environment to reverse a situation where nobody is happy because we all expect a little more. It’s not an ideal situation, but when I see the effort made by the factory to bring what we brought here to the record time and I see the desire that everything has to improve and there are still 16 races left, it seems to me with a year left, and I still believe there is more than enough hope to turn the situation around and start making more consistent races, start picking up the rhythm of the year a little bit and as the year goes on , I am also taking steps forward”.

BARCELONA, THE PERFECT CIRCUIT TO BRING IMPROVEMENTS AND TEST THEM

“Yes, I think so. We’re also bringing some extra prototype hard tires to test the things we want to test. I think it’s the perfect circuit and that’s why the team made a huge effort to bring an improvement that in principle is not for Barcelona,​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ but because of the situation we are in and how important it is to change the course bit, the team has made a brutal effort, Maranello I don’t even want to tell you about the juggling they had to do to try to get to this Grand Prix and that’s why it also motivates me and I’m glad to see that the team is committed and wants to change the situation”.

BAD LUCK OR NOT

“I don’t really believe in good or bad luck. I think that if things happen, they happen for a reason, and it’s true that there were 6 races where a little bit of everything happened, that it wasn’t the start that we all expected from Ferrari and it’s more difficult than we expected. I would have liked, but we didn’t give up and we try to improve the car, change it and push forward. And I am sure the results will be out soon”

STRATEGY AND ERRORS IN MONACO

“I think that’s it. The race did not go as expected. It was a weekend that I was very comfortable in the car, I was very fast all weekend and the frustration started to reach on Saturday, which was the third consecutive qualification in Monaco where I fought for pole position and I was caught in traffic in my lap. That frustrates you, you get angry and on Sunday I left wanting the podium, but the strategy at the first stop was not what I expected, although eventually I also understood what the team wanted to do by covering to Hamilton (who stopped one lap before) Maybe the second stop was also a result of wanting to go to the podium while staying one more lap on the track, because you drive with wet tires and what happened to me can happen to you . That’s a mistake. Maybe there was a little disappointment and this is something I will try to correct”.

HE UNDERSTANDS THE STRATEGY OF STOPPING MONACO EARLY AND DEFENDING THE TEAM

“Was he right? Discussing it later with the team, I understand why it stopped me. I understand it better because Hamilton did a very fast lap out of the pits and if he had done a lap like that he would have done that he has the ‘undercut’ and is fighting with Mercedes for the position in the World Championship I fully understand that they want me to cover Hamilton and the goal for them is not for Ocon but rather to cover Hamilton. So now I understand. I was very obsessed with the podium and pushing forward, until the rain and until the hard tire said enough, it was clear that I failed and it showed. But looking at it more calmly, I think the team had a reason to do what they did. The podium was in my head and that’s why I reacted like this (with the radio complaining), but I also understand the team’s priorities when you’re fighting for a position with Hamilton and the championship. And the team manages and analyzes situations. And if at that moment they saw that there was no rain on the radar and Hamilton would make the possible undercut, which we will not know, or if I passed Ocon, but the team saw that it was the best decision at that time. time.moment and I respect it and now I share it more than after a hot race”.

MONTMELÓ, ONE OF THE BEST ROADS GIVEN

“It’s hard to explain, but Barcelona, ​​​​​​together with Austin and Monaco, is the circuit where I scored the most points all year and where I have the best record. I’m sure the fans here in Barcelona have something to do Always feeling well covered, with sensations from the fans that support you and give you good vibes, I’m sure it helps me and makes me give me more here”.

RED BULL, IN ANOTHER LEAGUE

“Without the chicane, it’s a bit like a different Red Bull circuit, but it doesn’t matter, because Red Bull is in a different league now and until we recover tenths, in the plural because there are many, we shouldn’t think Red Bull. We have to think about ourselves, about improving our car, about how we make it more portable and easier on the wheels and that’s what we focus on”.