Ferrari trio of Mattia Binotto, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz see good progress on race pace to compliment the qualifying results from F1 2020 to 2021.
The 2020 F1 season saw one of the lowest points for Ferrari in its history in the sport. They had pockets of good results, but were nowhere to be seen in the front. Their qualifying pace seemed to be good, but they lost all of it in races, which made it difficult in the end.
In 2021, however, Ferrari has managed to compliment its qualifying pace, by a better showing in races, with Leclerc and Sainz, both doing a good job. They are just five points behind McLaren in the fight for third place in the constructors’ championship.
For Ferrari, it is a small win, amid last year’s gloom. “We are quite happy for after Spain. We have reached our objective, which was to reach points in the constructors and to finish in the points as high as possible,” said Binotto to written media. “It was a difficult circuit. Overall, the cars performed as expected. Both drivers did a good weekend.
“With regards to a better showing in races after qualifying, I don’t think it is the first time. In Imola it was the case as well. Bahrain was very specific because overheating of the rears. In Portugal we made some mistakes. In Spain, at least, we were focused on that aspect and managed it well. In the race we had a good pace,” summed up Binotto.
His statements was echoed by Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Sainz, where the former noted: “In Imola, we were very strong too. Bahrain we could have done a good job to keep the tyres and in Portimao, on my side was quite good. There is no problem with race pace like last year. It is much more balanced in terms of race pace.
“We are stronger in qualifying and in the race. It is good. I felt very good in the car in Spain and everything got together. I managed the good start that was not easy. I managed to run the soft which was not easy. I managed well on the medium. So, it was a good management and a very good pace. It was a strong week end overall.”
While Sainz wasn’t part of Ferrari set-up in 2020, to make the correct comparison, but the Spaniard could assess from outside and make out the difference. “For me personally, it is good with tyre management and the way the car is behaving and race pace is OK. Overall, I am trying to understand what I can do better.
“What is clear is that I need to understand how to be more confident with the start system and the way to operate to get a perfect launch and a perfect first 100 meters. I need a bit more confidence. In Spain, it was more about the positioning after that and getting in and out of the slipstream and how to be locked in the first meters and turn one,” said Sainz.
Looking at the step made, Binotto is pleased with the direction Ferrari is going into. “We are competitive again,” he said. To be honest I have never heard people laughing at us. Last year was a difficult season. The team has been working the best way possible since that moment onward.
“The team has done a great job and made steps in the right direction in Maranello and at the track the road is still long. We are just doing a good job as a team,” he summed up, as the Ferrari duo are looking forward to Monaco, which will have slower corners – something that the team hopes will work in their favour.
“Monaco is a very specific circuit,” said Sainz. “Obviously, having downforce in Spain in the last sector gives you a good feeling. And then you are in a good state of mind going to Monaco. At the same time, Monaco has a lot of specifics for car set up. Time of preparation etc. Going to Monaco having learnt what we need to learn from the weekend.
“We need to maximise what we have learned here. The cars are so different in Monaco. It could change the picture. We need to put together the best possible plan to maximise our performance there. I would keep it how it is to see how it goes,” summed up Sainz.
Here’s Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz on T1 move