Carlos Sainz has accused the F1 media of exaggerating Ferrari’s innovations at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, insisting that innovations will never allow the team to “kill” its rivals at Imola.
Ferrari went into its first home race of the 2024 F1 season armed with a number of major upgrades (tweaks to the sidepods, floor and rear wing) in a bid to close the gap to Red Bull.
Additional reporting via Thomas Maher
Although Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc set the pace in two of the three practice sessions at Imola, it is possible that the Ferraris will only finish fourth and fifth on the grid, with Leclerc more than two tenths off Max Verstappen’s time for pole position, either of which would gain a position thanks to a 3-place penalty for Oscar Piastri.
Despite a disappointing result, Australian Grand Prix winner Sainz claimed that Ferrari’s innovations had worked “exactly” as the team’s simulations suggested.
And he criticized the media for giving figures “completely out of reality” about the new package.
? Major rear wing replacement for Ferrari’s attention in the Imola paddock
? Full FIA list of Red Bull and Ferrari’s big upgrades at Imola
He told the media, adding to PlanetF1. com: “It worked exactly as we expected.
“For some reason, everyone expected us to fly this weekend with a new package. I saw that figures were circulating about our package that were not true today.
“Bringing in a tenth is a smart task on the part of the team. I’m not saying we’ve brought one, two, or a tenth, but also not the numbers that other people have mentioned.
“And with that in mind, it’s been tricky to get going this weekend because other people are improving their cars here as well. “
Asked to give a more exact figure on the price of the Ferrari upgrade, he replied: “I don’t have the right, that’s why I can’t say.
“But by telling you that the numbers were out of proportion, I’m telling you enough and you can get the password yourself.
“Still, I think the car is bigger in Miami.
“We’re measuring more downforce, it’s all going well. It’s enough for a circuit that doesn’t suit our car. “
“When I saw the track, I drove it in the simulator, I saw Imola as a McLaren track and also, obviously, a Red Bull track.
Speaking to Sky F1 after the session, Sainz doubled down on his stance that it was unrealistic to expect the update to turn Ferrari into contenders for victory at Imola, with a leap forward that rivals McLaren enjoyed in the last race in Miami.
He explained, “I know the media and other people were disappointed because they thought, ‘New car, new life. ‘
“But I knew that the numbers and figures of the new package were not enough to get into P1, as McLaren did in Miami or here.
“Our update is smaller than other people’s idea and I actively tried to say it in the media all week and other people didn’t seem to buy it and expected us to kill everyone today.
“I’m convinced that the update was minor.
“I can’t give you the numbers, but if I told you, you’d be surprised. “
Read next: Valtteri Bottas opens up about clandestine Williams after paddock