P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ferrari’s nightmare Zandvoort weekend turned to delight – so where on earth did that come from and what does it mean for Monza?
Ferrari’s drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, expressed disappointment after qualifying at Zandvoort, falling short of their expectations. Leclerc stated they did not anticipate being nearly a second behind the pole position. However, their mood shifted after a strong Sunday performance, with Leclerc finishing third and Sainz fifth, resulting in the team’s highest points haul since Monaco in May. The improvement can be attributed to three main factors: Ferrari’s historical trend of being better in races than in qualifying, their improved race pace relative to McLaren, and the challenges with tire management and downforce optimization on their car leading to struggles in qualifying. The team’s struggle with porpoising issues since the Spanish Grand Prix upgrade in May has also influenced their performance, as they have been running the car slightly higher than optimal to address these issues, resulting in consistent time loss. Additionally, the characteristics of the Zandvoort track, with its longer corners compared to Ferrari’s strengths in short-duration corners, posed challenges for the team during the race.
