Carlos Sainz has insisted that even maximising Ferrari’s latest updates won’t serve to solve the characteristics of its 2024 Formula 1 car that are proving a hindrance.
Ferrari commenced the current campaign as Red Bull’s closest challenger with Sainz and team-mate Charles Leclerc securing a win apiece in the opening eight races.
However, the Italian outfit has not been represented on the podium over the last two rounds, despite introducing a substantial upgrade package in Spain last weekend.
But Sainz – who lagged home in sixth, one place behind Leclerc – is adamant that it would be premature to assess that Ferrari now upholds the fourth-fastest package.
Asked how tough it could be if Barcelona was representative, Sainz said: “If that’s the case then we’ll talk after we’ve seen, but let’s not jump too far ahead of ourselves.
“From all of our numbers, the new package worked, so it just shows that whatever we’ve brought to the car over the last couple of years, and the new car that we’ve brought this year, is still not perfectly suited for these long, combined corners that I’ve always been relatively vocal about.
“If you remember China and Suzuka, I told you before those tracks that I don’t think this is going to be a great track for the Ferrari, and it’s still the case.”
The Spaniard contends that Ferrari’s weaknesses remaining with developments being added confirm that its limitations are embedded within the SF-24’s architecture.
“It just shows that even if the upgrades work there are certain characteristics that you cannot solve with a simple upgrade,” he continued.
“And we need to work on the whole package to become more competitive in these kind of tracks.”
Sainz reiterated that the bouncing he experienced through the high-speed corners in Barcelona is a problem that the Maranello-based squad must strive to eradicate.
“I agree with Charles that our main problem is combined, medium-speed and low-speed corners,” he acknowledged.
“I do still think that high-speed remains a weakness of the car, just because I’m not a big fan of what the potential little bouncing that we have in the corners might do to the tyre.
“So even if it might not be affecting us in terms of a high-speed corner speed – we can maybe make a high-speed corner almost as quick as a McLaren or a Red Bull.
“But I don’t like what this bouncing does to the tyre on a qualifying lap or in a race. I think this is a potentially smaller weakness than the medium and low-speed combined.
“But still a weakness that needs to be addressed given the fact it’s the third year of this regulation and we’re still struggling with this little bouncing.”
Nevertheless, Sainz has denied Ferrari is experiencing a “slump” in competitiveness and instead commended the progress that the marque’s rivals have been making.
Asked whether it could be attributed to set-up issues, Sainz retorted: “No. I think our set-up is the same as at the beginning of the year, we’re running the car very similar.
“It’s the same car, we just upgraded it, putting more downforce on it, but our rivals are also upgrading and they are also making themselves quicker.
“That’s why it’s not a slump, it’s just the others are doing a very good job.”
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