Carlos Sainz thought podium wasn’t possible in F1 Japanese GP until final stint, as he reckons Red Bull will advantage in first third of 2024.
Having started fourth on the road, Ferrari’s Sainz didn’t look threatning in the early stages of F1 Japanese GP behind McLaren’s Lando Norris. But as the race progressed, the complexion changed in the pit stop where strategy played a key role.
It was helped by Ferrari’s better race pace and tyre management. And the final stint on the hard compound allowed Sainz to get through Norris and secure a place on the podium. The Spaniard had left hope of getting third but late pace allowed him back.
“We kind of knew our race pace was better than our qualifying pace,” said Sainz. “Still probably not enough to go for a win because obviously starting P4 and given how good the race pace of the Red Bull is, it’s almost impossible to think about a win, but I was hopeful of achieving a podium that in the end we managed to achieve, even if it was a very tough race, very strategic.
“The track condition changed a lot through the race. We went from a very sunny track that we hadn’t had all weekend to a very cloudy track. The degradation went down a lot and you could push a lot more on the tyres halfway through the race. And yeah, this changed the whole situation quite a lot.
“At one point, I thought the podium wasn’t possible, but then with a new Hard, the pace was mega and I could get back onto the podium,” summed up Sainz, as he added on the progress from Ferrari at the same venue few months ago when he finished sixth.
“We exactly improved the car in the places that we wanted to improve it, and Suzuka proves it,” said Sainz. “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. 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,” summed up Sainz, while being realistic that Red Bull still has the advantage and they will continue to do so in the first third of the season. He expects the updates from Ferrari is likely to help them be more competitive and trouble them more often as the season progresses.
“I think they are definitely going to have an advantage in the first third of the season until we bring one or two upgrades that makes us fight them more consistently, but by that time maybe it’s a bit too late with the advantage that they might have on the championship,” said Sainz. “In the meantime, we need more Australias!
“Which I don’t see Red Bull, as a team, making these mistakes very often, no. A shame, because also I missed a race, which for both the team and me, it could be costly in the championship. We’re competing in one race less, but at the same time, We’re going to give it our best shot. It’s my last year in Ferrari also, so yeah, nothing to lose and we will try everything to make it back,” summed up Sainz.
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Here’s how F1 Japanese GP panned out
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