Carlos Sainz strategy: the plan was to do “the opposite of Norris”. Carlos Sainz strategy in Portimao.

In Portugal, Carlos Sainz experienced the highest and lowest moments of his still very short Ferrari experience in the space of 24 hours. On Saturday, the Spaniard beat Charles Leclerc for the first time this season in qualifying, taking a splendid fifth position, just behind Mercedes and Red Bull. In the race, however, after an excellent start, he slipped back, taking the checkered flag in 11th position . For the first time since the two races in Britain last year, Carlos Sainz completed a race without scoring points.

The result of the former McLaren driver, however, depended entirely on strategy . As confirmed by the driver and by the Italian side’s team principal Mattia Binotto in fact, Ferrari tried to earn Carlos Sainz a position on Lando Norris in the race through the undercut. However, the early stop, combined with the decision to use medium tires, represented the downfall for the Spanish driver. The overtaking attemp in the pits was not successful. On the other hand, the son of the two-time world rally champion soon ruined the tires, which then gradually lost grip and performance as the race continued.

Analyzing the team radios between driver and team, it seems that the ultimate responsibility for the call can be attributed to the team . In fact, at the end of lap 21, a clear message arrives from the red box: “Box Carlos, box. Do the opposite of Norris. Box “ . The radio team is repeated twice and confirmed by Carlos Sainz, who in fact returns to the pit lane while his former teammate continues. In McLaren, obviously, the man marking is immediately triggered and Norris is told to push hard, in order to be able to keep his position after the pit-stop. However, it should also be noted that Carlos Sainz himself probably agreed in trying the strategy of the undercut.

A few minutes earlier, in fact, at the beginning of the 18th lap, it was the new Ferrari driver who communicated via radio that he had “a slightly better pace than Lando” . This communication also probably had its weight in deciding to stop the #55. In any case, however, the real problem came for Ferrari with the management of the yellow tires . In fact, the medium compound allowed Norris to finish fifth, making Carlos Sainz to fall back instead.