Why did Carlos Sainz term the 2023 F1 Canadian GP 'a boost of motivation' for Ferrari?

Carlos Sainz reminisced about the 2023 F1 Canadian GP and how it was a great motivation booster for Ferrari. Sainz and his teammate, Charles Leclerc, finished fifth and fourth, respectively.

While speaking at the drivers' press conference prior to the 2023 F1 Austrian GP, Carlos Sainz explained how Ferrari was struggling with race pace at the start of the season. However, he added that in Canada, they seem to have the desired pace in the main race. The Spaniard felt that they were moving forward rather than backward, which was a good sign. He said:

"I think it was a good boost for the whole team, mainly looking at the race pace after a couple of difficult races where we were struggling with race pace. Finally in Canada, we seemed to have good race pace. Also, the fact that we were going forward in the race and not going backwards, makes a bit of a difference also for the perception of things."

He admitted that although they finished in fourth and fifth positions, which was where they were usually finishing in every race, it felt good because of the overall progression they made with a good race pace. Overall, it was a great morale booster for Ferrari, as he concluded:

"We actually finished fourth and fifth, that is a very similar result to the other race weekends that we’ve had – but the perception, the way that we were on the race, the pace was definitely different, which was good news. Yeah, a boost of motivation for the team."

After a decent race for Ferrari in Montreal, they will be heading into the Austrian GP with their heads held high, especially because they will be bringing a major upgrade package with a new floor, front wing, etc.

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Carlos Sainz is skeptical about Ferrari's pace in the 2023 F1 Austrian GP

Carlos Sainz is unsure about the Ferrari SF-23's pace in the upcoming 2023 F1 Austrian GP. The Spaniard explained how speed depends on the Red Bull Ring Circuit's characteristics and layout. He remarked that since the circuit had more high-speed corners, Ferrari might struggle there, similar to Barcelona. As per RacingNews365, he said:

"Our pace in Austria will depend a lot on the characteristics of the circuit, our pace varies a lot depending on that. We see places like Monaco or Canada we are stronger than places with higher speed corners like Barcelona, where we struggle a bit more, so I think we will see variations in our competitiveness."

Carlos Sainz is currently fifth in the drivers' championship with 68 points in his pocket.