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Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna is not getting carried away with the early season form of the squad and has made it clear that there is still work that needs to be done by the team. The start of the season has been very impressive for the Italian team.
Unlike last season where it had to wait for the 4th race of the season to secure a podium, Ferrari has been on the podium in every race this season. Not only that, the team has already won a race in Melbourne where Carlos Sainz led a 1-2 finish for the team. Having said that, while the team is now clearly the second-best on the grid, the gap to the front is massive.
Red Bull and Max Verstappen still enjoy a massive advantage over the chasing pack and Ferrari is no exception to that. Talking to the media, La Repubblica, the Ferrari group CEO was quite happy with how the team was progressing but was quick to point out that there is still work that needs to be done. He said:
"We started better than last year, but there is still work to be done and there always will be. The team only had one podium this time last year, as well as just one race win all season. The world of competition is like a person's life accelerated to the maximum - things can change quickly, going between good and bad. Stasis does not exist, everything flows quickly.”
Carlos Sainz praises Ferrari's progress in 2024
Carlos Sainz was extremely complimentary of the team after Suzuka as he pointed out how massive improvements had been made by Ferrari. Last season, the car was at best the third-fastest car at this track and nowhere near the podium. This year, however, Carlos got the podium convincingly over Lando Norris in the McLaren.
After the race in the driver press conference, Sainz commended the team's progress this season as he said:
"Yeah, [it was] very satisfying. We exactly improved the car in the places that we wanted to improve it, and Suzuka proves it. Still, places like Suzuka, we are not as quick as the Red Bull, which is the target, but as soon as we bring a good upgrade to the car that goes in the right direction, hopefully it can get us closer. But yeah, we've improved everywhere, and especially in the race pace."
He added:
"It also allows us to have more strategic flexibility, that last year we didn't have. It allows me to go forward in the races and instead of looking in my mirrors all the time to offset myself with strategy and then overtake people, which is something that last year wasn't on the cards at any point. So, happy and makes me enjoy more racing."
The next race in China is one where Ferrari could potentially do well on a track that is a bit front-limited.
