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Carlos Sainz claims Pirelli's new tires for the 2023 F1 season might be a huge factor for Ferrari given the Italian team's high rate of degradation this year. The Spaniard claims he is excited to see what Pirelli has come up with for next season and is looking forward to seeing the changes in action.
Carlos Sainz's 2022 campaign has not exactly gone as per plan. The driver showed promise in the middle of the season but has since dropped off in comparison to his teammate Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari's main problem in its fight against Red Bull in 2022, however, has been the high rate of tire degradation its challenger – the F1-75 – suffers throughout the race. Now, Pirelli plans on introducing a new tire next year – one that gives drivers less understeer, especially through low-speed corners.
Speaking about the proposed tire changes for next season at a press conference ahead of the 2022 F1 US GP, Carlos Sainz said:
“We need to see what the tyre does to the balance of the car. This is a huge factor because I always say that the tyre is the only thing that touches the ground from a Formula 1 car and the thing that gives you the grip and then the feeling and the steering and everything. So it will be super interesting to see what Pirelli has come up with, especially because every team has played its part in developing Pirelli towards a certain direction to improve the tyre so let’s see.”
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are a lot closer as teammates in 2022
Charles Leclerc reflected on his growing relationship with Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz, claiming the two have gotten closer throughout the 2022 season. The Scuderia seemingly had the best car on the grid at the start of the year, leading to frequent podiums for the two drivers.
Leclerc admitted that he didn't know Sainz much before pairing up in 2021. The two have, however, gotten a lot closer and are both active in the team's development strategies.
In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, Charles Leclerc spoke about his Ferrari teammate, saying:
“My relationship with Carlos is very good. We didn’t know each other very well before we were at Ferrari. We didn’t talk much before Ferrari, except when he told me that he dreamed of driving for Ferrari one day. But yes, our relationship is very good. In racing we are of course very competitive, but together we work very well to help the team move forward.”
Carlos Sainz will have to pull out something special if he wants to finish second in the drivers' standings as he currently trails his teammate by 50 points with only four races to go. As the sport has proven time and again, however, the tide can swing at any given moment.
