The team principal on Sainz’s race: “The mirror could have been removed earlier, Carlos damaged”. The Spaniard: “Everything has happened to me. But we’re going to Abu Dhabi to get the McLaren”
Ferrari finished the Qatar GP in second and sixth position, overturning the predictions of the day before and reducing the gap in the constructors’ standings to just 21 points from McLaren. What decided the fate of an exciting race in Losail was the harsh fist adopted by the new race director, Rui Marques, who decided to sanction Lando Norris with a ten-second stop&go, guilty of having exceeded the speed limit under flag conditions yellow. The Englishman, tenth at the finish line, thus saw his gap in the drivers’ standings reduced to just eight points ahead of a heroic Leclerc, forced to contest the entire GP without being able to drink.
leclerc speaks
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“I’m really happy – explained the Ferrari driver, second at the end of the race – I would have immediately signed up for a result like this before the GP, especially on a track like this. The characteristics of our car are not suited to the circuit and we knew it would be very difficult against McLaren, but in the end we managed to recover a few points. The world championship will be decided in Abu Dhabi, we will give our best and we need to win by finishing first and second.” Commenting on the management of the race, Leclerc expressed some satisfaction with Ferrari’s wall choices. “We were perfect. Today the strategy was ideal, the only problem today was the pace, which just wasn’t there. But we still did the best with what we had, so I’m satisfied.” The Monegasque then spent a few words on the episode involving his teammate Sainz, who was forced into the pits after suffering a puncture. “There was a mirror on the track and I think someone hit it. I tried to be careful because slowing down at that point was too disadvantageous. In any case it’s a shame for Carlos, we would have needed a better result with him but all in all the weekend is positive for the team.”
spoke vasseur
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Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also spoke out about the episode that damaged Sainz’s race. “Maybe they could have removed the mirror earlier by putting the Safety Car, it certainly would have been much less dangerous. It’s really a shame for us because it damaged Carlos’ race and also Lewis’ race.” Moving on to the race, the Frenchman is satisfied with the strategy implemented by the Maranello pit wall which asked both drivers to slow down in the first stint to conserve the tires and then avoid fitting the medium tire at the end. “We executed the plan optimally – explains Vasseur – the idea was to be conservative at the beginning and then push towards the end of the race. I think putting a yellow tire at the end wasn’t possible, we had just stopped and a slow introduction would have been needed. We preferred to stay out without taking risks and it was the right choice.” A conservative strategy, which allows the red to bring the constructors’ fight to Abu Dhabi: “We are still alive – joked the team principal – on paper Abu Dhabi will be a better track for us and everything is still possible”.
sainz speaks
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“Obviously I’m not satisfied with the result – explained Sainz, sixth, to Sky Sport – I had to do a complete lap with a punctured tire and I lost a lot of time. Then I stopped and when I was exiting the pit lane they brought out the Safety Car regime so the other drivers recovered even more. Everything has happened to me.” The Spaniard then concluded with a comment on the challenge in the constructors’ championship with McLaren. “Ferrari will need a very particular Abu Dhabi, but we are fighting. Let’s go get them.”
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