In Saudi Arabia with Leclerc forced to one penalty of 10 positions for the replacement of the third control unit of the season, Ferrari places all its hopes on the Iberian Carlos Sainz. The SF-23 number 55 will be the only point available for the team but above all an important indicator for understanding the potential of the single-seater on a track that is very different from that of Bahrain. In fact, more tenders are needed to be certain about the strengths and weaknesses of the SF-23.
The circuit of Jeddah it has higher top speeds and is less demanding on the tyres. The only challenge is to find the ideal set-up right away, but the team is working on it.
Problems of youth
Reliability is a problem that particularly marked the Ducati season in 2022 and Charles' problem, at the first GP of the season, set off a rather important alarm bell. However, the alarm returned with the checks and that the Reds must not deconcentrate. "It was a difficult weekend but I don't think we could do more - admitted Sainz in the pre-weekend press conference. “Charles will come here with a less than ideal penalty. We've identified the problem and it's the first time we've seen it, so it took us by surprise. I'm sure we'll sort it out in the short term. We are only the first race e if there's one thing 2022 has taught us, it's that it doesn't matter how you start but how you finish. So we have to try to look ahead, develop the car and improve the starting result."
All eyes on Spanish
Sainz is now in his third year with Ferrari but last year he experienced perhaps for the first time the pressure of finding himself engaged in a world championship fight with a competitive single-seater. After an initial period of instability, however, the results arrived and so did the fifth position in the drivers' standings which allowed Ferrari to take second place in the constructors' standings.
But this year different music is expected from the very beginning. During the tests in Bahrain Carlos Sainz had found a better pace than that of the Leclerc, but then the shortcomings of the SF-23, and the ability to extract that something extra from the car, characteristic of the Monegasque, re-established the hierarchies again. until Charles retired. The times of the Spanish have approached those of the Monegasque but there is always a step between them.
More competitive Ferraris in Jeddaha
The ranking at the moment is in favor of the Spaniard who beat his teammate 1-0 with a fourth place against a DNF. In Jeddah Sainz will have another important opportunity to score as many points as possible. We recall that at the beginning of the year Ferrari declared what their goal was, which was to win in both championships. To do this you need two competitive cars and two competitive drivers. Even with different driving styles. The Reds still haven't found the competitiveness they hoped for. This is also why we do not hear team principal Vasseur dwell on the question of hierarchies.
Ferrari missed out on the podium in Bahrain with both cars, and Sainz says he is confident about the opportunity to get on it in Jeddah. “I want to think so, the track is totally different as well as the asphalt, and thethat that we will bring. Everything is different from Bahrain and I have a feeling we will be more competitive. Will it be enough to beat Red Bull? difficult but I want to be optimistic and think we have a good chance to get back on the podium".
