The Ferrari team was well aware even before the race weekend, based on their 2021 results and the track layout, that the Qatar Grand Prix would not be easy for the SF-23. Instead, it would be a complex race, with a defensive approach aimed at minimizing point losses in the constructors’ championship against Mercedes. A less than optimistic prediction, which, as seen at the Losail International Circuit, turned out to be accurate because the Scuderia drivers struggled to get the SF-23 to work well and manage the tires. This situation led the Scuderia to face significant gaps not only with Red Bull but also with Mercedes and McLaren.
A race that was lacking in satisfaction for the Maranello team, and even more so for Carlos Sainz. Due to a problem with the fuel system of his SF-23, he couldn’t even participate in the Grand Prix. A bitter disappointment, the result of an issue that was essentially unsolvable, as the Ferrari mechanics only discovered it an hour before the start of the race and attempted, in vain, to resolve it in every possible way.
The issue was unsolvable due to the tight timelines that didn’t allow for changing the power unit and the fuel tank (the only real remedy). This issue was analyzed after the race by the Ferrari team principal, Fréd Vasseur, during the usual press conference in the team’s motorhome in the paddock.
While responding to a question about the mechanical problem’s cause, the Frenchman did not rule out that it might have been due to the car hitting the curbs. Still, he preferred not to speculate and wanted to wait for the results of the examinations conducted in Maranello (initial reports suggest that human error may have caused the fuel leak).
“With regard to the issues on Carlos Sainz’s car, we will have to wait until it’s disassembled and the analyses are completed.” – he pointed out.
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Fred Vasseur, although uncertain about the causes, admitted that, in addition to the fuel supply issues on car number 55, they also found battery problems. This is why they had to replace it. This issue, considering the limited elements of the power unit, could potentially have repercussions for the rest of the season: “We also had to replace the battery on Carlos’ car.” – the French manager concluded.
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