Carlos Sainz, who claimed his second Formula 1 victory in Singapore last Sunday, has conceded that Red Bull will be the team to beat in Japan this weekend. 5 days after the Ferrari ace stunned the paddock with his brilliant drive in the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, said that he does not expect to repeat such a performance in Suzuka.
Since the end of the last race, there have been speculations about Red Bull reclaiming their top position. Max Verstappen’s outstanding performance in the free practice sessions confirmed these speculations.
Verstappen, who had a rare off weekend in Singapore, was back to his best in the opening practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, topping the FP1 timesheet by well over half a second.
Carlos Sainz admits Red Bull’s dominance
Sainz recognized Red Bull’s strength and noted that the other teams are closely knit. Sainz said that Red Bull is very fast this weekend, but he doesn’t think Ferrari is too far behind. The Spaniard said gaps between the top teams are very close this weekend, similar to previous races, where Red Bull was the strongest again.
Talking about this, Sainz stated as per Junaid on X, “ This weekend the gaps to our closest rivals seem very close, therefore back to where we were in previous races, with Red Bull very strong again.”
Sainz: This weekend the gaps to our closest rivals seem very close, therefore back to where we were in previous races, with Red Bull very strong again.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) September 22, 2023
Sainz’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, who finished fourth in Singapore, also acknowledged Red Bull’s supremacy in Japan. However, Leclerc admitted that Ferrari had made some progress and could challenge for a podium finish.
Leclerc tweaks driving style to get more from Ferrari
According to Charles Leclerc, Ferrari has managed to close the gap between rivals more than expected, giving the team a positive result. Leclerc himself made some changes to the car to increase its comfort, and expressed satisfaction with the results.
Charles Leclerc opened up about the driving style tweak he’s been working on. The Monegasque driver revealed that he is focused on changing his driving style in line with the characteristics of the Ferrari SF23.
Leclerc: We seem to be slightly closer to our competitors than expected, so it was quite a positive day overall. On my side, we tried out a few different things on the car to make me a bit more comfortable, which was good. I’m looking forward to confirming that feeling tomorrow.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) September 22, 2023
Leclerc explained that he has been working closely with the Ferrari technical team to fine-tune his driving technique. The 25-year-old aims to extract maximum performance from the SF23. The Ferrari driver eagerly awaits the opportunity to embrace this experience as he qualifies for his upcoming race.
