“There will be circuits where we can compete”: Carlos Sainz positive about fighting Max Verstappen and Red Bull for F1 wins

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz clinched his third podium finish in his third start of the season in the Japanese GP on Sunday. Following his impressive victory in Melbourne just a few weeks prior, he returned to the podium trailing behind a Red Bull 1-2 finish.

Sainz started from the second row and made a late-race charge, overtaking both Lando Norris and his teammate Charles Leclerc to take the final spot on the podium. He took the checkered flag 20.8 seconds behind race winner Max Verstappen and eight seconds behind Sergio Perez.

Carlos Sainz acknowledged the deficit to Red Bull, attributing it partly to upgrades introduced by the reigning champions for the Japanese GP. He expressed confidence that Ferrari could close the gap at certain tracks, with the fast-flowing Suzuka circuit not to the liking of the SF-24. He said in the post-race interview (via Formu1a.uno):

"We must not forget that here Red Bull has brought an important update and we have not. In terms of race pace we aren't that far off, we were 1-2 tenths higher on the lap, but it's true that there will be circuits where we can compete. Suzuka definitely not, but on others definitely yes."

Carlos Sainz expressed optimism that the upgrades would further address the weaknesses of the SF-24. However, he remained tight-lipped about when Ferrari would roll out the upgrades for the their 2024 challenger. He said:

"I hope the updates arrive soon, we know when they will arrive but I don't know if I can say. The important thing is to continue along this line, improve the car in the weak points which is what we did last year and what allows us to do the races we have done recently."

Max Verstappen leads the drivers' standings with 77 points, closely followed by Sergio Perez with 64 points. Sainz currently stands fourth with 55 points, trailing his teammate Leclerc by four points.

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Carlos Sainz forecasts a "tough weekend" for everyone at the Chinese GP

Formula 1 returns to the Shanghai International Circuit for the first time since its last visit to the 2.858 mile (4.603 km) circuit in 2019. The Chinese GP will also host the first sprint race weekend of the 2024 F1 season, with teams getting a single practice session to find the optimal set up.

Carlos Sainz anticipated that the limited practice time at the Shanghai Circuit will pose numerous challenges for the teams. He said in the post-race press conference:

"I think it's going to be a tough weekend for everyone. I think going into a Sprint to a track that we haven't been in four or five years, only one hour of practice, is going to be a challenge. Might be resurfaced also, so it's going to be a good one."

Lewis Hamilton won the 2019 edition of the Chinese GP, while Carlos Sainz, driving for the McLaren F1 team, finished in 14th place.