Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz has detailed how Max Verstappen inadvertently affected the Maranello group’s efficiency throughout the dash qualifying session for the Qatar Grand Prix on the 5.419-kilometre Lusail Worldwide Circuit.
Following a robust exhibiting within the single observe session, each Carlos Sainz and his Maranello teammate Charles Leclerc have been finally overshadowed in dash qualifying. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc secured fourth and fifth positions on the grid, however they have been virtually three-tenths of a second behind pole place holder Lando Norris, leaving Ferrari to replicate on a missed alternative.
Charles Leclerc expressed that Ferrari’s promising observe occasions felt like a distant reminiscence, as each drivers struggled throughout SQ3. Carlos Sainz, specifically, confronted difficulties, together with having to desert his first flying lap. A key issue on this setback was Max Verstappen’s sluggish tempo in his Purple Bull, which prompted a disruption within the visitors and prevented Carlos Sainz from finishing his lap to the most effective of his capability. Max Verstappen, who ultimately certified in sixth, was a contributing issue to the challenges confronted by Ferrari within the session.
“Sadly, we had a state of affairs the place I went into Sector 1 and Sector 2 with Max in entrance, and he was making ready his tyres, so I had fairly a little bit of soiled air following him round. On prime of that, the automobile stability was simply off, we picked up a variety of understeer on the medium tyre, which meant we have been simply merely struggling to show the automobile, then I wanted to chill the tyres for a few laps. After I went once more, the understeer stability was nonetheless there, however I wanted to place a lap in, it was sufficient for P4. It was not straightforward beneath strain, however with the stability of understeering off monitor, it was fairly straightforward to get a monitor restrict, however we received it carried out.” – Carlos Sainz defined on the finish of the Lusail Dash Qualifying session in Qatar.
Relating to the discrepancy between Ferrari’s sturdy observe efficiency and their underwhelming dash qualifying outcomes, Carlos Sainz suggested warning when deciphering observe occasions. He emphasised that it’s usually deceptive to position an excessive amount of weight on observe tempo, notably in an setting the place quite a few unpredictable components can affect the end result. Carlos Sainz identified that the variables current throughout qualifying, corresponding to tire efficiency, monitor circumstances, and visitors, can dramatically have an effect on a group’s capability to translate their observe kind into aggressive qualifying outcomes. In consequence, he harassed the significance of staying grounded and never drawing untimely conclusions primarily based on observe alone.
“I by no means try to learn an excessive amount of into FP1 since you by no means know what the gasoline masses and engines modes the others are operating. However the excellent news is that the automobile was feeling higher by way of stability than anticipated. However we went into quali nonetheless fearful that our rivals may very well be faster right here, and that’s what we noticed. We didn’t maximise our package deal, and though our lap was clear, it was a lap with a variety of understeer within the automobile, I simply principally couldn’t flip the automobile for the entire lap.” -the Ferrari driver concluded.
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