Ferrari still has reasons to believe in a victory this season despite Red Bull dominance

Despite their fourth place in the constructors’ championship and the dominance of the Max Verstappen-Red Bull duo, Carlos Sainz is still convinced that Ferrari can secure a victory in 2023, capitalizing on mistakes from their rivals. After the summer break, the Spanish driver and the Maranello team restart at Zandvoort, the venue hosting the third edition of the Dutch Grand Prix since its return in 2021, aiming to snatch at least one stage win.

Carlos Sainz believes it: can Ferrari still achieve a victory in 2023?
“I don’t totally believe that Max will win every weekend,” the Spanish driver told the media, including F1ingenerale, ahead of the Dutch weekend. “I know the media see it in a very drastic and dramatic way. Of course, I know what my possibilities and probabilities of winning are, but there’s still a chance that Ferrari can win a race this season and that I can be there to win it. Nobody is perfect, and I hope that at some point in the season, Red Bull makes a mistake. I’ll approach every weekend thinking that I need to be there to take advantage of it.” – the Spaniard pointed out.

Carlos Sainz presents himself as confident at the resumption of the summer break, aware of the limitations of his car nevertheless. In the first twelve races, the SF23 has proven to be the fourth-strongest on the track, even though the race at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps showed a significant sign of improvement.

“This is my mentality. My goal is to try to be present in every opportunity. Even in the most dominant years of Mercedes, Red Bull, or Ferrari, there was always a race where you could make a difference or where something happened. As a driver, especially in these kinds of years, you thrive on this kind of motivation and thinking. Otherwise, I have all the motivation to fight for podiums, for the top five positions. I love Formula 1, I love racing every weekend with Ferrari, and I love the opportunity to develop this year’s car, provide feedback, and see the impact I can have on next year’s car. This is also why a driver lives, and I love this challenge.”

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On paper, the Zandvoort circuit should cater to the characteristics of the SF23. However, we’ve often seen how Ferrari has performed better on tracks with lower expectations. Therefore, maintaining a low profile without making proclamations will be necessary.