Carlos Sainz Jr. has admitted that Ferrari is facing “fundamental” problems with their car’s lack of pace, as demonstrated during the Spanish Grand Prix.
However, he believes that the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, with its slower corners, will be a more favorable venue for the team.
Sainz explained that the team’s struggle goes beyond tire degradation and points to a deeper issue with their race pace.
“Honestly, my analysis or the team’s analysis is that we just lack race pace at the moment,” he said.
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Ferrari aims to develop a car that is kinder to its tires, more consistent with its aerodynamics, and allows the drivers to push the car to its limit throughout the race.
Despite the challenges, Sainz emphasized that the team is making continuous efforts to address the issues.
They have been trying various approaches each weekend, experimenting with different components such as tires, suspension, and aerodynamics.
Sainz remains confident that the team will eventually identify and resolve the root cause of their performance struggles.
Ferrari’s last victory dates back to July of the previous year, and Sainz acknowledged that the team is frustrated but also motivated to turn things around.
He recognized that the current situation is an amplification of a trend that started toward the end of the 2022 season.
The SF-23 car has presented a more pronounced challenge, and even though they could secure pole positions last year, they would often fall behind Red Bull in race performance.
While Ferrari introduced a significant upgrade at the Spanish Grand Prix, the expected improvement did not materialize.
Sainz attributed this partly to the characteristics of the Circuit de Catalunya.
He expressed optimism that the Canadian Grand Prix, with its slower corners, will provide a better opportunity for the team to showcase their progress.
Sainz highlighted the positive performance of the car in low-speed corners in previous races, such as Monaco and Australia.
He also mentioned that Baku was an off weekend, suggesting there might have been an issue with the car’s performance.
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With the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve known for its lower speeds, Sainz is hopeful that the new package introduced by Ferrari will aid their performance in Canada.
The Spanish driver remains optimistic about the team’s prospects and appreciates the determination within the factory to rectify the situation.
Sainz acknowledged that the Spanish Grand Prix was always going to be a challenging race but stressed the importance of trying out new components and learning from the experience.