Carlos Sainz is preparing to tackle the United States Grand Prix in Austin with a clear objective: to verify whether the updates introduced on the Ferrari SF-24 in recent races are actually working also on a more traditional circuit like Austin. After the progress shown in Monza, Singapore and Baku, the Spanish driver has defined this weekend as the definitive test bench to evaluate the Prancing Horse's chances in the final part of the season.
The decisive test for the SF-24 upgrades
In the pre-GP press conference in Austin, Carlos Sainz highlighted the importance of the weekend in understanding the effectiveness of the updates introduced by Ferrari. “All the tracks we have tackled since Monza have confirmed that the updates are working. But until we got here, on a traditional track, we couldn't understand how much we had improved. This will be an important test to see if the upgrades have gone in the right direction,” said the Spanish driver.
Austin, with its mix of fast corners and technical sections, represents the ideal test bench to evaluate whether the improvements seen in recent races are due to the specific characteristics of the previous circuits. Or whether Ferrari has really made a step forward in terms of overall performance.
No new updates, but a long-awaited confirmation
Unlike other teams that will bring novelties to Austin, Ferrari has decided not to introduce any further updates for this weekend. The last significant change was the front wing introduced in Singapore. “We have nothing new for Austin. We need to confirm whether our improvement in race pace is due to the circuits we have been on or whether the updates work on more traditional tracks like this,” Sainz explained.
Ferrari's performance in Texas will be crucial to understanding what chances the Maranello team will have in the final six races of the season. The battle for first place in the constructors' championship, in which Ferrari is chasing McLaren along with Red Bull, will depend a lot on what the team will be able to show in the next Grands Prix.
According to Sainz, the results of the next three races will be decisive for Ferrari's future in this championship. "A lot of our chances of winning the constructors' title will be decided in the next races. If we do as well as in the previous ones, we can believe it.. But if we fall behind on these more traditional tracks, our confidence will drop,” said the Spanish driver.
Sainz's opinion on the removal of the fastest lap point
Finally, Sainz commented on the FIA's decision to abolish the point for the fastest lap starting next season. “I don't mind that it's being abolished. In recent years the point has often gone to those who could make a pit stop without losing positions, not rewarding the fastest driver. It would make more sense to give a point to the one who gets the pole position, that really rewards the fastest,” declared the Ferrari driver, satisfied with this change in the regulation.
Source statements: Formula1a.one
