Carlos Sainz says the Ferrari team remains in the process of trying to understand the causes behind the inconsistent performance of its 2023 Formula 1 car.
The Italian outfit has endured a tough beginning to the current campaign, registering only a solitary podium and languishing down in fourth position in the Constructors’ Championship.
Ferrari endured its most sobering weekend of the year in Miami last time out, with Charles Leclerc unable to improve upon his lowly starting spot of seventh while Sainz dropped two places from third to fifth.
Both drivers stressed in the aftermath of the race that its troublesome SF-23 car was proving too unpredictable in race trim – a problem the Scuderia is still attempting to solve, according to Sainz.
“I think what we are going through more this year is understanding the unpredictability of the car, rather than really having a lack of feeling or anything like that,” he conveyed.
“It’s one session you’re at one with the car and then the next session for some reason there’s something a little off, the wind picks up, track temp goes up and you’re immediately not there.
“Also that affects us more on race day than on new tires, soft, low fuel, and it’s something we’re trying to understand, but I feel this year pretty much since FP1 every weekend I’ve been on top of the car, and that’s a good step. It’s a shame that this year the car is not as competitive as last year.”
While Leclerc has sustained higher peaks early this season – culminating in him securing pole position and a third-place finish in Baku – the Monegasque racer’s aggressive approach saw him come in for strong criticism after crashing in successive days during the Miami weekend.
Although Sainz has not enjoyed the same peaks as his team-mate, the Spaniard has been responsible for the more consistent run of results within the Ferrari camp.
Having conceded early last year that he was struggling to adjust to the more cumbersome cars at the drivers’ disposal in the new era of regulations, Sainz has been satisfied with how he’s adapted to getting the most out of Ferrari’s 2023 package.
When asked whether he felt more comfortable in this year’s car, Sainz responded: “I think on average yes. Obviously, there was that off weekend in Baku, but the rest of the weekends I’ve really been a lot more on top of it; I know what the car needs.”
Ferrari, courtesy of Leclerc, have taken pole position in the last two editions of the Monaco GP, while Sainz has also fared well in the Principality to register successive podium finishes since his switch from McLaren.
Despite the prospect of Ferrari claiming its first win of 2023 being spoken about ahead of the weekend, Sainz asserts that Red Bull remains the team to beat in Monte Carlo.
Red Bull has dominated proceedings so far in 2023 to take every single race victory, but reigning champion Max Verstappen has acknowledged that Monaco could be a trickier proposition for the Austrian side.
“I think Monaco has always been good for us in the past,” Sainz said. “Last year we were very strong, the year before in ’21 with a relatively weak car we managed to put it on pole here.
“So I do think we have a strong opportunity, but at the same time I also think Red Bull are favourites everywhere we go to because they have no weaknesses and sure they’ll be the team to beat.”
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