Ferrari can be ahead of F1 rival McLaren in some races

Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari can keep the upper hand over McLaren on some tracks this season in what turns out to be a close battle for third place in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship.

Ferrari appears to have made significant strides with its updated F1 car in 2021 as it appears to be recovering from its worst season in 40 years after falling to sixth place overall in 2020.

The Italian team scored two points in a row at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last weekend for the first time since 2019, when Charles Leclerc and Sainz finished fourth and fifth in Imola behind McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Based on the first two rounds of the campaign, it looks like Ferrari and McLaren will prepare for a titanic scrap of the season to get the best of the rest of this year behind Mercedes and Red Bull.

McLaren is currently in third place, seven points ahead of Ferrari after being ahead in the first two races. However, Sainz is confident that the Scuderia will stay ahead of its previous team on tracks that better suit its F1 car.

“I think it’s very close, honestly,” said Sainz. “It is very difficult to make a choice.

On the subject of matching items

“I think the McLaren has its strengths and weaknesses, and so do we. What makes it a really nice fight is that we are fast in very different places on the track and that makes it a very fun fight.

“It looked like this weekend [in Imola]Lando made very good use of the car’s potential. He was there all weekend, especially from Saturday, and he did a good race.

“Overall, it’s very tight. Maybe they had a bit of the upper hand this weekend and they had the upper hand, a little bit, the last two weekends. But as soon as we have a very good weekend and hit a track that we might like, I think we can be one step ahead. “

On the subject of matching items

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto agreed with Sainz’s verdict, but wanted his squad to “prove” the progress they have made with their updated SF21 car, which appears to have addressed the weaknesses of its SF1000 predecessor.

“I think that confirms that Mercedes and Red Bull are still ahead and I don’t think that can come as a surprise, the gap was so big last year,” said Binotto.

“I’m kind of happy with what we did, but as Carlos said we are in a close battle with McLaren for third place. Is that our goal for the season? I think our goal is often said, it still is to prove that we can. ” Progress in all areas.

“I think we can do it. It’s really a question of mentality, and I think, more importantly, it shows that we are able to make progress, but from a good starting point. “