P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Sainz thought Japan F1 podium was "not possible" until "mega" final stint
Carlos Sainz started fourth next to McLaren’s Lando Norris and briefly took the lead at Suzuka by delaying his pitstop and extending his stint on medium tyres, but lost track position due to an undercut. With 17 laps left, Sainz utilized his fresher hard tyres to work his way back up the order, aided by changing track conditions and cooler temperatures. Despite initially thinking a podium was out of reach, Sainz was surprised by the strong performance of his car and eventually clinched a podium finish in a challenging and strategic race. Sainz acknowledged that the changing track conditions and improved tyre performance played a significant role in his comeback. While aware that a win was unlikely given Red Bull’s dominant performance, Sainz was confident in Ferrari’s improved race pace compared to qualifying.
