Carlos Sainz admits Ferrari ‘5 seconds slower’ than 2023 in Azerbaijan GP practice
Carlos Sainz noted that the challenging conditions at the Baku street circuit made it difficult for Ferrari to get pace out of the SF24.
Follow Us
Carlos Sainz (via IMAGO)
The free practice sessions of the 2024 Azerbaijan GP was a challenging task for the Ferrari drivers. Charles Leclerc hit the barriers during the first session which affected their performance. However, the 26-year-old bounce backed in FP2 setting the fastest lap but not without challenges. Teammate Carlos Sainz was more consistent as he stayed in top 5 in both the practice sessions.
Carlos Sainz mentioned that the practice sessions had some long, challenging moments, but Ferrari wasn’t the only team facing issues. He explained that driving was difficult because the track was very dirty and slippery, making it hard to control the car. According to him, they were five seconds slower compared to last year, and this difference was noticeable in the data. Sainz emphasized that these tricky conditions affected their performance, showing just how tough it was to drive on the track that day. Despite this, he managed to finish in top 5 in morning and afternoon.
There were a few long ones today, but we were not the only ones – he commented – it was very difficult to drive because the track was very dirty and slippery , and we were five seconds slower than last year and you could see it in the data.Carlos Sainz told Formulapassion.it
The Spaniard explained that during the first practice session, they had issues with the car’s brakes, which made it harder to perform at their best. However, by the time they reached the FP2, they were able to fix the brake problems and improve their performance. Sainz was happy with the progress they made, as the car felt better and more reliable in the later session.
We had problems with the brakes during FP1, but then we managed to improve later in FP2.Carlos Sainz added.
Carlos Sainz revealed he couldn’t sleep before Friday’s practice sessions
Carlos Sainz shared that he wasn’t feeling fully fit because of discomfort in his neck, and it affected him the night before. He had trouble sleeping and couldn’t move his head properly, which made things difficult. However, as the day went on, his neck started to feel better, and he was able to manage the race. Despite the rough night, Sainz mentioned feeling ready and prepared for Saturday.
Also, I wasn’t 100% with my neck and last night I couldn’t sleep well or move my head well, but I felt better as the day went on and I’m ready for tomorrow.Carlos Sainz stated.
Thus, Carlos Sainz’s neck pain affected his ability to focus 100% during Friday’s practice session. However, as the day went on, he started to feel better and expressed optimism about Saturday’s qualifying sessions. Fans are hopeful that both Sainz and Leclerc could potentially secure spots at the front for Sunday’s race, giving them a competitive advantage.
Stay Updated!
Gaurang Kadam
(535 Articles Published)