P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Carlos Sainz rued that qualifying could prove to be an “Achilles’ heel” as Ferrari bids for back-to-back Formula 1 wins this weekend at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Sainz and his team-mate Charles Leclerc qualified third and fourth at the United States GP before Leclerc clinched victory in a Ferrari 1-2. The team’s recent strong race pace has overshadowed their one-lap performance. As the DRS zone is shortened for the upcoming race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, qualifying gains more importance. Despite Ferrari’s success in Austin, Sainz is optimistic but admits that qualifying has been a weakness this year. Sainz hopes they can replicate their performance in Austin and have a chance to win, given their strong race pace. Ferrari’s success in Austin has boosted Sainz’s hope for competitive showings at other tracks. The team’s deficiency in high-speed cornering remains a concern for Sainz, but he believes Ferrari’s capabilities in other areas can still lead to competitive races.
