Ferrari should have had unique opportunities in Monza, Baku and Singapore to rectify a botched summer part of the season. These circuits were supposed to suit the single-seater SF-24, but then Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were to play “only” the role of a balance sheet in the fight between McLaren and Red Bull. It didn’t happen. The Scuderia is emerging as a title contender in the Constructors’ Cup.
Austin and Mexico were not to present the same opportunities as the three named circuits. However, as it turned out, Ferrari engineers came up with improvements that not only cured the summer problems of the single-seater, but also moved it a step forward. We saw the results of their work in Austin and Mexico.
Ferrari leapfrogged Red Bull in the Constructors’ Cup on Sunday, and the team’s results led to the obvious question: will they go one step further and leapfrog McLaren? The gap is currently 29 points and both team drivers feel they have a unique opportunity. “We both believe it’s possible and we’re talking about it more and more together,” he admitted Carlos Sainz about debates with a teammate after the WC of Mexico.
“We encourage each other. We know that the chance is here and we say to ourselves: ‘Come on, let’s go!’ We have a good relationship. We both know we have a chance; we both know that we are riding in good form. I think consistency will be key and we need both riders up there every time. We did a very good job this weekend. This is a tough track and you saw in Q1 and Q2 that there can be chaos and anything can go wrong.” he said Sainz.
However, it is clear that McLaren is still the favourite. This team has a faster and more versatile car. Oscar Piastri has not been in the best form in recent weeks, but when he returns to it, he can take the wind out of Ferrari’s sails. “We have to stay in this battle, but we can’t let it consume us,” he said Sainz.
“It’s not just in our hands. Considering McLaren’s speed, it depends on them too. We will continue to do our best and encourage each other to win.” added the Spanish racer.
