Despite updates from the competition, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz believes that the Scuderia will improve its form in Miami: Now at “100 percent” after appendectomy
Carlos Sainz expects Ferrari to perform much better in Miami than two weeks ago in China, when Ferrari’s new great strength backfired. The SF-24 is very gentle on the tires, but in the colder conditions on race Sunday in Shanghai they couldn’t get enough temperature into the hard tires in particular.
In Miami, however, temperatures are expected to remain close to 30 degrees Celsius throughout the weekend, which is why the Scuderia could play to its strengths again: “The warmer temperatures will certainly make it easier,” said Sainz on media Thursday in Miami.
“However, Miami is a track where it is normally quite difficult to get the energy into the tires so that they are ready for the first lap. So one balances the other and I don’t think it will solve our problem completely. But I’ve been working on it a lot. “
Sainz: Upcoming Ferrari updates “hopefully a good step “
“But I think we have a small weakness in this car, namely the slow corners,” he adds. There are plenty of them in Miami, especially in the second sector. “We struggled a bit more in the slow corners compared to the others and we lose a lot of lap time there.”
“So I think some of that can hopefully be improved with the future upgrades. And part of it should also be improved with the set-up and the way we drive the car, which can already be fixed for this weekend.”
Ferrari will not have any major updates with them in Miami, as these are due to debut at the first home race of the season in Imola in two weeks’ time, which the Spaniard says will “hopefully bring Ferrari a good step closer to Red Bull. “
Sainz: Why Red Bull is now further away again
However, the competition from McLaren and Mercedes will already have new parts on the car for the race weekend in Florida, which could shift the balance of power. Sainz is nevertheless hopeful that they will have a good chance of finishing on the podium.
“I think we will be a bit better here. Hopefully we will be a bit closer to Red Bull than in China, where it was 0.5 to 0.6 seconds per lap. I’m not expecting Australia here because since Australia they have brought an upgrade to Japan and that upgrade I think has made them a bit quicker. “
“And with McLaren with their upgrade … I think if McLaren didn’t upgrade, we would be the same speed or even faster this weekend. I think with their upgrade – if it works well for them – I think we will be in a very close fight with them. “
Sainz back in top form: “Values just as good as before Jeddah “
On the positive side, the 29-year-old reported that he is now back “at 100 percent” after his appendectomy. “And I have to be – because if I’m not, then I’ll struggle here,” he says. “It’s a tough weekend with the heat and the humidity.”
“I have my little benchmarks for the times I do on some of the hills [on the bike] and of course the strength – reps and weights I train. And last week in Monaco I did a good four to five-day training camp where the values were just as good as before Jeddah. That gives me the confidence that I’m back to 100 percent.”
But it’s not just his body that is back to full power, as the inconsistencies from China, when Sainz had a heated duel with team-mate Charles Leclerc in the sprint, have also been resolved. “That’s part and parcel of racing,” he says dismissively.
“I think we raced hard against each other in China and had some good battles out there. It was the same battles as with all the other riders, so for me it was just good racing that was fun. And I want to continue those battles not only with him but with all the other riders because I enjoyed battling hard with everyone in China. That’s the way I like to race. “
