Sainz expresses Ferrari hope after suffering neck pain woe

Carlos Sainz has revealed his Friday practice running for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was undermined by neck pain after suffering a bad night's sleep ahead of the two sessions.

The Ferrari driver finished fifth quickest at the end of a tricky day for all concerned given the nature of what proved to be a dusty, dirty track, with lap times considerably off the pace in comparison to previous years.

Sainz at least managed to avoid any major incidents, unlike team-mate Charles Leclerc who crashed his SF-24 into a barrier in FP1. However, he made up lost ground in FP2 by finishing quickest overall.

"We had a few offs but I think everyone did," said Sainz. "The track was so tricky to drive, so dirty, so slippery, five seconds slower than last year. It gives you almost the data to know how much we were all struggling out there.

"But I kept it more or less clean. I did the whole run plan. We went through some issues with the brakes in FP1 and then managed to make it better for FP2."

Explaining his personal issues, Sainz added: "And I am not feeling 100% with my neck. I think I slept really badly [on Thursday night] and I cannot move almost. I managed to make it through the day and I'm ready [for Saturday]."

Aside from hoping his neck feels better going into the remainder of the programme, Sainz at least feels Ferrari is in the mix ahead of a qualifying session in which Red Bull, especially, suggested it is a major threat again as the track is less problematic for the balance issues with its car.

Sainz, who has qualified fifth, fourth and fourth over the past three years compared to a run of three successive poles for Leclerc - although the Monégasque has failed to convert any into a victory - feels it is "very difficult to tell" who has the edge.

"No one put good laps together," said Sainz. "I think when everyone starts putting on the softs in Q1, Q2, Q3, we will see where everyone stands.

"We are confident we are on the pace, together with the Red Bulls, McLarens and the Mercs. It's going to be extremely tight, and it's going to be all about tyre preparation, putting the lap together, being at the right time, at the right place on track before the yellow flags and the red flags.

"Hopefully we're on the right side of things."