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Sainz admits Ferrari ‘played it safe’ during contra-Japanese gamble
Carlos Sainz believed Ferrari had better pace than their results showed in the Japanese Grand Prix. Despite coming off a surprise win in Singapore, Ferrari struggled with tyre degradation, which has historically been a weakness for them. Sainz stayed out longer to protect his position from Lewis Hamilton, but Ferrari left him out for too long, causing him to come out behind Hamilton and George Russell. Sainz managed to pass Russell towards the end and finished fifth. He felt there was more to offer and believed he had better pace than the cars in front. Sainz also explained that they decided to stay out instead of pitting to cover Hamilton because of the low tyre degradation he experienced.
Source: RacingNews 365
