Carlos Sainz says Formula 1’s swift return to Jeddah facilitated him in understanding his current weaknesses with Ferrari’s F1-75.
Sainz has so far finished behind Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in both qualifying sessions and races this year, and sits 12 points behind the Monegasque in the standings.
Formula 1 first visited Jeddah last December, as the penultimate round of the 2021 season, but it was shifted forward to being the second round of the 2022 campaign.
Sainz outlined that “the technicalities and specifics” of his current weaknesses “need to stay in the team for the sake of privacy and not giving away too much” but that Jeddah had provided useful lessons.
“I can already tell you this has been the best experience so far in terms of going to a track that 100 days ago I was here with a super high level of confidence with last year’s car,” he explained.
“I was super quick in qualifying and the race and knew exactly what to expect from the car and what the car was giving me.
“After 100 days I come back and in corners where last year I was very strong this year I seem to be struggling quite a bit more.
“I am not driving the car the way it should be driven together with the car is not giving me exactly the feeling I need for my driving. This combination of things is what I’m working on.”
Sainz added that he “made a step forward and a step in the right direction for the race” and that he has a greater understanding of where he needs to make up time.
“It has also given me the awareness of the two or three types of corners, or places, that last year I was feeling so confident and comfortable that this year I’m not.
“It has given me to take points to work on and become stronger for the future.”
