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Carlos Sainz believes that Ferrari’s performance against Red Bull could be track-specific throughout the 2024 season. Speaking in the post-race press conference in Australia, the Spanish driver suggested that their battle with the Milton Keynes squad will depend on car development throughout the season.
Ferrari are scheduled to bring a minor upgrade to their car and make more changes by Imola in May. With Max Verstappen retiring from the race due to a brake issue, the Maranello drivers were able to clinch a 1-2 finish for their team. In the first two races, they had the qualifying pace to challenge the Red Bull but not the race pace. In Australia, the scarlet squad looked genuinely quicker and more comfortable around the Albert Park circuit compared to Red Bull from Friday itself.
Despite winning a race in Australia, Carlos Sainz believes that their performance at the moment could be a result of track sequencing on the calendar. In other words, they might look better on some tracks and might be further behind Red Bull on others. Compared to 2023, they have started on a better design platform this year but the championship title will depend on the developmental race throughout the season.
Asked if they felt closer to Red Bull in Australia compared to the two races before, Carlos Sainz said:
“I think our car really worked really well this weekend. But I think it's going to be tough to keep it up there in every track until we bring an upgrade to close that gap that we saw in Bahrain and Jeddah. But around Australia, from lap one, it felt like a race-winning car. And even if Red Bull were also quick and were on pole, that (1:15.915s pole lap time) in quali wasn't out of reach for us.”
“Yeah, there will be tracks where we are strong like we saw last year. And this year it seems like our race pace is better even on those tracks that we are stronger. And together with a good development programme, I hope that we can challenge Red Bull more often.”
Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari will have to constantly put the pressure on Red Bull
Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari need to be on top of their game to pressure Red Bull and capitalize on days when they are not at their best. He felt that it could be a possibility that the Dutchman’s brake issues made it easier for them to pass him. However, the 29-year-old believed that it is important to be present to pressure the Milton Keynes team and get the job done if Ferrari intend to have more wins this season.
Asked at what point in the race was it evident he could overtake Verstappen, Carlos Sainz said:
“I don't know. I saw him... obviously pushing on lap one and I was like, ‘OK, I'm going to push with him too and challenge in the car’. But obviously it could have been the brakes, as he said. So, yeah, I don't know, honestly, but it felt good to pass him, with brake issues or not, because it is tough, you know, to pass Max on track and the Red Bull. But it's what we've said from the beginning – if you are there and you can put Red Bull under pressure, you can sometimes get it done. But you need to be there, and we need to be there more often if we want to win.”
After the Australian GP result, Ferrari are only four points behind Red Bull in the constructors championship. In the drivers championship, Carlos Sainz is fourth with a total of 40 points, trailing Sergio Perez who is six points ahead of him, and Charles Leclerc who leads him by seven points. Verstappen currently leads the championship with a total of 51 points but is only four points ahead of his Monegasque rival.
