Ferrari prepares for another important weekend in Mexico City. The objective is always the same: to reach second place in the constructors' classification. The team and Charles Leclerc were surprised by the disqualification of the FIA arrived at the end of the race in Austin, due to high wear on the pad. If nothing else this brought a podium to Ferrari as third place in Hamilton, who was disqualified, went to Carlos Sainz. This mistake, however, pushed the team to focus on refining strategies and managing the car's resources avoid that it repeats. Charles Leclerc, who had taken pole position, struggled with a hostile car but showed confidence in the recent upgrades made to his Ferrari SF-23 by Japan. Leclerc lost points in Austin, not too many considering he finished the race in P6. However, he will want to make up for it in Mexico. After two consecutive Sprint weekends the teams will have 3 free practice sessions for the first time. A factor that reassured everyone. We see what are Leclerc's feelings on the eve of the weekend in Mexico, and I respect the disqualification in Austin, with the statements in the press conference.
Shooting signals
Ferrari has now closed the cycle of updates for the 2023 season. The latest updates arriving in Japan have mitigated the behavior of the single-seater and this has allowed the two drivers and the team to be able to play more with the balance. However, doing this during Sprint weekends is not easy. The upgrades have helped Leclerc catch up and perhaps even regain his position over Sainz. In the races returning from the summer break, the Spaniard achieved better results than his teammate. In fact, he took Ferrari's only victory, in Singapore.
Austin has indeed provided further proof that Ferrari's development path is going in the right direction.“It's a small step in the right direction, but I think we'll have to wait until next year for bigger steps. We're talking about bigger things,” she explained. I definitely feel more comfortable with the car. But it's even harder to accept that every time I have a great weekend in the US, I leave the weekend with no points."
Leclerc surprised by the penalty in Austin
Charles Leclerc, given the good performance of the SF-23, hopes to be able to get on the podium in Mexico but it won't be easy. Mercedes does well on this type of circuit. Last year it beat both Ferraris. Leclerc also knows it will be difficult.
Reflecting on what is the first DSQ of his Grand Prix career, Leclerc spoke of the surprise felt by the team. In statements to the media in Mexico Leclerc said: “Honestly, it was a complete surprise because on Friday, when we checked the car, there was no wear at all [of the skate]. It's not like we hit the ground running anywhere. Then we get to the race, and obviously things changed and we were illegal. Rules are rules and must be respected, so it is no excuse to say that on Friday: 'We were fine'. Saturday night we thought there was more margin, then Sunday was a big surprise. We're still analyzing why we consumed the plank more than we expected. I was still on track [when I found out], but it's the kind of thing you have to accept because there's nothing to fight for with those things.”
Sainz slightly unwell, does not take part in the conference
The weekend for Carlos Sainz doesn't start in the best way. A small inconvenience, explains the team, prevented him from participating in the press conference. Sainz finished fourth at the United States Grand Prix, but was promoted to third after the race was over Lewis Hamilton he was disqualified from second place for the same reason as Leclerc. Ferrari explained the reasons for the Spaniard's absence in a statement: "Carlos will not be on track today because he is not feeling well. Nothing serious, so we expect him ready to get in the car again tomorrow (Friday).”
Despite this, Carlos is determined to return to the track for the 19th round of the season. His third place finish in Austin gave Ferrari a valuable lead in the constructors' championship.
Ultimately, Ferrari presents itself in Mexico City with a mixture of hope and determination. The objective is clear: avoid mistakes, take advantage of updates and capitalize on opportunities to score crucial points in the race for second place in the constructors' championship. The challenge is demanding, but the team is ready to demonstrate its worth on the Mexican circuit.
