P1racenews AI automatic summary:
‘Distractions’ at heart of sizeable Sainz deficit in Japan qualifying
Carlos Sainz believes that experimenting with different car setups during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend caused him to struggle and feel distracted during qualifying. Despite winning the previous race in Singapore, Sainz has been unable to find a comfortable balance on the Suzuka track, leading to a significant gap between himself and his teammate Charles Leclerc. The high-speed characteristics, long corners, and strong winds at Suzuka were always going to make it difficult for Ferrari. Sainz and the team tried various setups during practice, but by the time of qualifying, it was clear that the changes did not work out. The compromised qualifying preparation has left Sainz focused on trying to have a good race, but he acknowledges that the McLarens and Red Bulls are much quicker.
Source: RacingNews 365
