F1 News
Sainz sees opportunities for Ferrari in 2023: 'We need to improve the car'
- GPblog.com
Carlos Sainz thinks Ferrari can only challenge Red Bull Racing for the title next year if the Italian racing stable has a perfect season. Speaking to Motorsportweek.com, the Spaniard says his team must perform briskly if it is to challenge Max Verstappen next year.
After two years in the midfield, Ferrari was back at the forefront of the field this season. The Italians secured a second place among constructors and drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished second and fifth respectively. Not a bad result on paper but there certainly could have been more this season.
The start of the season was almost flawless from Ferrari but then the team quickly slumped. Sainz in particular fell further and further down the rankings over the course of the season and only managed to climb back up from sixth to fifth in the last race. "Obviously I could not make things difficult for Verstappen this year," Sainz acknowledged. "The performance of him and the Red Bull, they just had the better package: faster car and faster driver."
'You have to set high goals'
Sainz sees possibilities for Ferrari in 2023 but everything has to go right. "I think it is possible, in a perfect year, to beat them. But then we have to be really perfect and we have to improve the car. I myself will also have to improve, especially in the first half of the season. You have to set high goals for yourself and for a team like this."