Carlos Sainz says his poor launch off the grid in final Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix squandered from the outset his probabilities of a podium end in Budapest.
Sainz had certified fourth in Saturday’s tough session, two spots forward of his Scuderia teammate Charles Leclerc.
However a laborious begin instantly dropped the Spaniard behind his teammate and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. Whereas he was in a position to rapidly overhaul his countryman, Sainz couldn’t regain an higher hand over Leclerc.
The outgoing Scuderia charger admitted that his botched begin – a uncommon prevalence for Sainz – had been the turning level of his race.
“Yeah, precisely. Sadly [it was my] first dangerous begin of the season and at a spot that could be very pricey,” he admitted.
“We have to analyse whether or not it was my mistake on the process, or we simply merely bought it unsuitable with the clutch settings and we triggered an excessive amount of wheelspin for the grip that there was on the market at this time.
“We’ll do a very good evaluation, one dangerous begin per season is okay – it’s unlucky that it occurred right here in Hungary.”
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Wanting on the larger image, Sainz believes a robust begin might have positioned him in podium rivalry, particularly contemplating Max Verstappen’s struggles later within the race.
“You’re just about fastened in your place after there [from the start],” he mentioned. “That’s why we might have made it P4 after Flip 1, I believe P4 was on the playing cards at this time or P3 even with Max’s troubled race.
“So a disgrace as a result of I felt good within the automotive all weekend, it’s true that at this time it was a bit trickier with the stability and in excessive gas, however the tempo on the final stint was a bit higher and I might catch everybody again up, but it surely was a bit too late.”
Ferrari launched in Hungary a modified ground on its SF-24, hoping to mitigate the bouncing points skilled by its drivers for the reason that staff’s Spanish Grand Prix improve.
However chasing from behind after dropping out at first and managing tyre degradation restricted his suggestions on his automotive’s potential.
“It appeared okay,” he mentioned. “Actually, tough to guage from my facet, as a result of I used to be at all times enjoying catch up.
“Particularly within the first two stints I needed to overtake automobiles originally of my stints, which at all times compromises the tyre deg.
“Having to go on the marbles and use the tyre originally of the stints, to make use of the height of the tyre, reasonably than nursing it in, after which being quick within the second half of the stint.
“The one constructive was the third stint, fairly fast with that medium, after which it degraded a bit an excessive amount of on the finish, which didn’t enable me to go Max and Charles there on the finish.”
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Waiting for subsequent weekend’s spherical of racing at Spa, Sainz is anticipating a difficult race for Ferrari based mostly on its current historical past on the Ardennes observe.
“All the time been certainly one of our hardest tracks as a staff,” he admitted. “I believe we’ve at all times struggled there within the final two years.
“On the identical time, I really feel such as you by no means know our low downforce rear wing would possibly work a bit higher this yr, and we could be a bit extra performing.
“So clearly, at all times optimistic, on the identical time real looking.”
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