Ferrari “very close” to a real F1 threat in Monaco

Sainz finished second in both FP1 and FP2 in Monaco and was a tenth of a second behind Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in the afternoon.

It was Ferrari’s first 1-2 result in an F1 session since the second practice session for the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix and was the latest milestone in the team’s recovery from the difficult 2020 season.

Ferrari’s form in Monaco took title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen by surprise, but both drivers thought Sainz and Leclerc would pose a real threat to the front of the field this weekend.

Sainz was encouraged by Ferrari’s pace on Thursday but wanted to wait for track action to resume on Saturday before he can really assess how the team will fare against Mercedes and Red Bull.

“We definitely look very close to being a real threat,” said Sainz.

“I think we’ll have to wait until FP3 because a lot will change here from Thursday to Saturday.

“There are some drivers who stand back a little on Thursday because they want to take it easy, and then suddenly on Saturday, like Lewis always, is super fast.

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Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

“We’ll see. It’s nice to see that we’re at least closer to the front, that we’re actually playing around in front there.

“It’s encouraging for the team, and there are some positive signs that the car isn’t actually all that bad on the corners.”

Sainz has an impressive record in Monaco, scoring points in each of his five starts in the race and finishing a top sixth in both 2017 and 2019.

The Spaniard announced he needed to adjust his driving style early in practice, noting that the Ferrari SF21 car on the streets of Monaco was very different from the McLaren he drove last time.

“The last time I was in Monaco, I was used to a different car, with a completely different balance,” explained Sainz.

“Now I get here and the balance that Ferrari is trying to pursue here is completely different, and I had to readjust myself, get my references back, change my driving style a little and gradually build up my confidence.

“But it was important that every time I drove across the start / finish I could always see myself in the first three positions and fight there.”