Carlos Sainz believes that Ferrari's current Formula 1 car problems first reared in late 2022, with this season being an "exaggeration." The Scuderia began 2023 with high hopes of challenging Red Bull for the World Championship, but after eight races have just one podium and one pole position to their name, courtesy of Charles Leclerc in Azerbaijan. Canada was a good weekend for the team as they rescued fourth and fifth after a poor Saturday, but the team have struggled with race pace all season. This is a trait Sainz pointed out the team first identified in late 2022, but the effect seems to be magnified this term.
Ferrari's trait
"We're all frustrated by it and motivated to change, but it's something we started seeing towards the end of last year," Sainz explained to media including RacingNews365. "We were sticking it on pole in Austin, very close to pole in many circuits, even Abu Dhabi at the end of the year, but then we saw the race and that we were clearly behind Red Bull. "This is a carryover but maybe an exaggeration this year with the car that we have, because last year, we could still have pole positions and be a couple of tenths behind, but this year, it is a bit much.
Sainz positive over Ferrari
In a bid to try and close the gap to runaway leaders Red Bull and Mercedes and Aston Martin who have both stolen a march on Ferrari, a sizeable upgrade package was added to the SF-23 in Barcelona, with redesigned sidepods. Further new parts are possible for the Austrian Grand Prix, with Sainz confident the team are on the right track and are "full of energy" to turn the situation around as they close in on one year since their last win - through Leclerc at the 2022 Austrian GP on July 10th. "I felt like we [made] important steps in our understanding and learning of the car," he explained. "We will keep trying, we will keep going. I see a factory full of energy [ready[ to correct the situation and the feeling of the car. "We are opening new windows of development, and if this window doesn't work, we will open another one and another one. We will keep trying. "I'm going to Maranello more often than ever, spending more time there in-between races and I'm trying to make sure we keep the team pushing in the same direction and motivated. "I see good things coming, but obviously the results at the race-track are not coming."
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