The truth is never easy to accept. Especially for those who must open their eyes after being deceived. In this category, we find, in a heterogeneous mix, both the Ferrari drivers and fans. Disparate entities all victims of the same sweet illusion: thinking that the SF-23 was a beautiful and incredibly fast machine. Instead, it has turned out to be a workhorse that, unless some deviant circumstances arise, will struggle, a cursed struggle, to win until the end of the year.
Often, those who bring forth the truth have to face its consequences with criticisms that are honestly incomprehensible. Somewhat like what is happening to Carlos Sainz, who hasn’t hidden that the red season will be a partial torment from here to the end in Abu Dhabi. Nothing more than the conceptual continuation of what has transpired in the first twelve races. On the other hand, with the resources being reallocated for 2024, it’s hard to imagine that the car would magically find performance without substantial updates being provided.
Ferrari: Carlos Sainz’s Realism
Sainz has not been diplomatic in his choice of terms. Some have called it irreverence, but what the Spaniard is expressing is healthy cynicism. “It has been frustrating to realize that Red Bull was a step ahead of us and that it would be difficult to challenge them. We all expected to have a more competitive car. Instead, all teams have taken a significant step forward, and we are all very close.”
Being stuck in a tenth-place fight determines those performance swings that have characterized the path of the SF-23 up to this point. The highs and lows observed this season are a result of this tight fight, and, as confirmation of this, they are also typical of the other cars engaged in the battle: Mercedes, Aston Martin, and McLaren. Four teams that strive, push, and surpass each other, but they consistently remain far behind the Red Bull, which enjoys a solitary lead.
Being just a tenth of a second faster or slower makes a much bigger difference. Often, this places Ferrari out of the podium. Carlos Sainz, who hasn’t yet experienced the pleasure of being in the top trio this year, emphasized to Motorsport that it’s challenging in the red environment to accept not consistently being among the top:
“In Ferrari, the result is very different whether you finish on the podium or in eighth place. Now we just have to accept that this is the fight we’re in right now. If in one weekend we fight for fifth place and that’s the best we can achieve, we have to celebrate the fact that we’ve done our best with what we have available this season.”
Ferrari Realigns Objectives: Aiming for Second Place
In Ferrari, after understanding that the fight for the top wouldn’t materialize, even in the most extraordinary of dreams, they’ve had to reshape expectations and recalibrate their goals. The current one – confirmed by Charles Leclerc a few days ago in rather assertive terms (perhaps it’s better to be cautious given how things have gone this season) – is to finish the year in second place, overtaking Aston Martin (who’s gradually slowing down) and Mercedes. But it’s also about fending off the attacks of a strong McLaren after their package of updates in Austria.
Setting a goal, however difficult to achieve considering the trends, could place too much pressure on the Ferrari environment. A risk that Sainz warns against: “We need to focus more on maximizing the potential of the car and the team’s performance in the second half of the season. We want to make sure we’re maximizing points for the Constructors’ Championship, stop expecting a win or a podium, and focus only on consistency.”
These words haven’t been received favorably by everyone. Some have found Sainz too lenient, almost resigned to the situation, unable and unwilling to reverse the negative trend. But can we blame Carlos? Is it reasonable to express fierce criticism towards a driver who doesn’t know if his car will be competitive tomorrow, capable of competing for more than just a points finish? The answer, from our perspective, is no. Rather, the arrows of criticism should be aimed at those who put Sainz and Leclerc in a position to operate with an inadequate tool, incapable of delivering solid performances.
Connecting Carlos Sainz’s words with his contractual situation – which, by the way, is identical to Charles Leclerc’s considering the expiration date of their agreement – is a logical stretch that doesn’t serve to depict the facts. Carlos Sainz may very well decide to step away from the red saddle, but the responsibilities of a technical staff that, from one year to the next, has presented a worsened car are still there, as the standings and the story of the 2023 championship tell without a shadow of a doubt.
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