Carlos Sainz shone at the Bahrain Grand Prix, securing a commendable third place and positioning himself as the “best of the rest” behind the formidable Red Bulls. This performance holds particular significance for Sainz, who is in his final season with Ferrari, marking an ideal start he could hardly have hoped for better.
Sainz emphasizes the importance of a strong season start for his morale and future, aiming for a car that allows him to be more offensive than defensive. That’s exactly what he got, with the SF-24 enabling him to adopt an aggressive approach and enjoy a sustained pace in the race, despite facing far from easy competition.
Sainz Navigates Bahrain Challenges
However, the path to the podium was not without its challenges, including brake issues similar to those encountered by his teammate, Charles Leclerc. In traffic, Sainz had to balance aggression with caution, aiming to avoid overheating the brakes while making his way through the field.
A pivotal moment in his race was his duel with Leclerc, where Sainz demonstrated great skill, underlining his intention never to jeopardize their respective races. He also addresses the pit stop strategy that saw Leclerc overtake him, a move he says was unintentional, but which did not significantly affect his final result.
Sainz also attempted to put pressure on Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in the closing laps, though he was aware of the limitations of his Ferrari compared to the Red Bulls, particularly in terms of tire management.
In conclusion, despite Ferrari being significantly behind Red Bull in terms of performance, Sainz remains optimistic. He hopes that improvements to the SF-24 can close the gap with the reigning champions. His performance in Bahrain, combined with a car that seems more balanced than last year, provides Ferrari and Sainz with a solid foundation to build on for the rest of the season.
Sainz Bahrain GP Podium. Sainz Bahrain GP Podium
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