Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has commended the team’s strategy execution during a challenging Dutch Grand Prix, where he secured a hard-fought fifth-place finish despite acknowledging the team’s lack of pace in mixed weather conditions.
Sainz acknowledged the challenging dynamics of the race, marked by variable weather conditions, and candidly expressed the team’s struggles with pace.
He admitted, “I would say after looking at the Alpine [we were] more [like] the sixth-fastest car this weekend.”
Despite grappling with the limitations of the car’s pace, Sainz and Ferrari executed a well-coordinated race strategy that allowed them to secure a commendable fifth-place finish.
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The Spanish driver noted the battles he engaged in throughout the race with competitors possessing quicker cars.
Sainz reflected on the race, saying, “But we managed to execute a really good race, we were fighting the whole race with people that were not in our pace, not in our race, fighting a lot quicker cars than us.
“So, we have to be happy and proud of well executed P5.”
While Sainz expressed satisfaction with the outcome, he also highlighted the challenges he faced while driving the car.
He acknowledged the difficulties he experienced on the track, stating, “Obviously not happy with the feeling of the car and how much I struggled out there today.”
Despite the challenges, Sainz recognised the quality of his performance during the race, considering it one of his standout drives of the season.
He remarked, “It has to be one of my best drives of the season, for sure.”
Sainz credited Ferrari’s strategic decisions throughout the race, an area that has faced criticism in the past.
He praised the team’s ability to make the right calls, except for one early pit stop decision.
He explained, “Honestly, today we nailed the calls, except for the first stop that we should have boxed on the first lap and we stayed out one extra lap. Everything else, we nailed it.”
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur shed light on the team’s decision to opt for a lower downforce set-up, a choice that ultimately did not yield favourable results in the unpredictable mixed weather conditions.
Vasseur acknowledged that while the package would have performed better in standard conditions, the team did not intend for the choice to serve as an excuse for their performance.
Vasseur explained, “For sure we were on the low side of the downforce and the conditions didn’t help us.
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“It’s clear that our package would have been better in standard conditions and more consistent conditions, but it’s not an excuse at all.”
Despite Ferrari’s challenges and mixed results, Vasseur remained focused on the team’s overall performance and future goals.
He remarked, “But it’s not the result that we are expecting overall.”