Carlos Sainz expects McLaren to be the only certainty among the top four teams
After a disappointing qualifying, Carlos Sainz produced strong pace in Zandvoort to finish in 5th, behind teammate Leclerc in 3rd. Looking ahead, the Spaniard believes Ferrari can continue fighting for podiums. However, he warns that McLaren will be the only permanent feature in the battle for wins.
In a weekend where McLaren brought their largest update package since Miami, the MCL38 was a dominant force.
Lando Norris claimed victory with relative ease, spending most of his race in the management phase after overtaking Max Verstappen.
The margins were closer behind the British driver, largely because Ferrari exceeded expectations and managed to keep pace with Red Bull.
Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes competed for the final positions in the top 6. Sainz and Leclerc helped their own, taking important points before the SF-24’s next upgrade package in Monza.
McLaren could go from strength to strength
According to Carlos Sainz, Ferrari’s main challenge is that McLaren are unlikely to experience a dip in performance this year.
Sainz expects Zak Brown’s team to set the standard for the rest of 2024:
“Things are so close. The only certainty is McLaren, who will be at the front in every race.
“And then between Red Bull, Mercedes, and us [Ferrari] are the podiums.
“Max is always there because we already know what Max is, but the rest are also there. The podium is possible in every race [for Ferrari].”
Focusing specifically on Maranello’s trajectory, there are reasons to be hopeful. Their pace in Zandvoort was relatively strong, especially considering their struggles since the Spanish GP.
Assuming that Ferrari can make a step forward with their next updates, race wins could be on the cards for Sainz and Leclerc.
However, there is no guarantee Ferrari will move past their mid-season troubles. Another factor to consider is that McLaren’s development for 2024 is still ongoing, with team principal Andrea Stella promising more improvements.
In this context, the Italian squad must perform at their best to validate Fred Vasseur’s belief they can fight for the Championship.
