Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, the driver for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, has expressed his belief that the team is “simply not quick enough” on the track, regardless of any strategic solutions that may be implemented.
Sainz’s comments come after a challenging race at Spa-Francorchamps, where he finished in seventh place.
Despite starting from the front of the grid, Sainz struggled to maintain a competitive pace throughout the race.
He believes that the lack of speed is a fundamental issue that cannot be overcome solely through strategic adjustments.
The Belgian Grand Prix presented various challenges for teams in terms of tire strategy.
Pirelli, the tire supplier for Formula 1, suggested that a two-stop race, featuring two stints on Medium tires and a single stint on Soft tires, would be the quickest way to navigate the 44-lap race at Spa-Francorchamps.
However, Sainz’s comments indicate that the team’s performance issues extend beyond tire strategy.
“We took some risks starting with the hard tire. We also gained a position, so I was very optimistic and positive about this strategy.” Sainz said.
Ferrari’s struggles in the race were not limited to Sainz alone. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, started from the back of the grid due to a mistake made by the team in qualifying.
Leclerc’s race was further complicated by a late pit stop for fresh tires, which was seen as a questionable strategic decision by some. These factors contributed to a challenging weekend for the Ferrari team as a whole.
It is worth noting that Ferrari has been engaged in a battle with Mercedes for the position of the third-fastest car on the grid.
While Ferrari has shown improvements this season, Sainz’s comments suggest that there is still work to be done to close the performance gap.
