Carlos Sainz points out "strategies have not been Ferrari's weakness" in 2023

Carlos Sainz points out “strategies have not been Ferrari’s weakness” in 2023. Carlos Sainz explains why .

The strategy issue
In recent years, Ferrari has often been criticized for some strategic errors that have cost their drivers dearly. Due to miscommunications, the Chaarles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have lost the opportunity to compete for podium positions or, in the worst cases, even for the race victory. In some of these instances, including in 2023, Carlos Sainz bore the consequences. Thanks to some ‘own goals’ by Ferrari, the Spaniard failed to gain additional points, both for the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings. The ‘Scuderia’ finished in 3rd place overall, just three points behind Mercedes.

This setback could potentially trigger frustration and disappointment in the son of the two-time World Rally Champion. However, he has identified other main issues observed during this championship season. The problem, according to Carlos Sainz, lies not so much in incorrect timing for pit stops but in other weaknesses that have put the team in serious difficulty in defining strategies, both for the Spaniard and Charles Leclerc.

The defense
According to Carlos Sainz himself, speaking to motorsport-total.com, he acknowledged certain mistakes: “I don’t think we lost many points with strategy this year – he stated – yes, in some races, we didn’t get it right, but it hasn’t been our Achilles’ heel. In all 22 races, even Mercedes and Red Bull made strategic errors. If we made more mistakes, maybe there’s still something to optimize, but it’s certainly not our main problem.” – he pointed out.

The real issue
What really didn’t work for Ferrari, according to the 29-year-old Madrilenian, was something else. Thanks to his victory in Singapore, he prevented Red Bull from winning all races on the calendar: “If your car is not as fast on Sundays and is also pushing the tires more than the opponents, then it’s more difficult to get the strategy right,” he added. “With greater tire wear, there’s always the risk of being attacked with an undercut, and it’s not possible to attempt an overcut. This way, the strategic maneuvering room is very limited.” – the Ferrari driver concluded.