Ferrari finds itself trailing McLaren by 75 points in the 2024 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship, with the Red Bull threat also looming between them. As the season enters its final six races, Carlos Sainz believes the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin will be a critical litmus test for Ferrari’s hopes of a late charge for the title.
With Ferrari still chasing their first Constructors’ Championship since 2008, the stakes are high. While Charles Leclerc’s victory at Monza and subsequent second place in Azerbaijan gave the team hope, recent outings haven’t been as fruitful. The Marina Bay Street Circuit saw Ferrari limited to just 16 points, despite bringing a slightly improved front wing to Singapore.
Speaking ahead of the Austin GP, Sainz emphasized the importance of the race in determining whether Ferrari’s upgrades, particularly the new floor introduced at Monza, can deliver consistent results across different tracks.
“The more tracks that we’ve done since Monza, the more confident we are that the upgrades we brought to the car are starting to work pretty much everywhere,” Sainz explained. “But for me, I’ve always said that the real test will be in Austin. It’s a more typical track, unlike Zandvoort or Spa where we struggled a bit more.”
Ferrari’s last Constructors’ Championship triumph came in 2008, a bittersweet season where Felipe Massa narrowly missed out on the drivers’ title. Since then, they’ve finished second in the standings six times but have been unable to reclaim the top spot. This year, McLaren leads the way, with a 41-point cushion over Red Bull and a 75-point gap to Ferrari.
Despite these odds, Sainz remains cautiously optimistic. With three sprint weekends left, there are plenty of points still on offer, but Ferrari’s performance over the next few races will be decisive.
“A lot of our belief in the constructors’ title will come over the next couple of races,” Sainz admitted. “If we can continue performing like we did in Monza, Baku, and Singapore, we’ll believe we can do it. But if we struggle on more standard tracks like Austin, Mexico, and Brazil, our belief will naturally drop.”
The United States GP marks the return to more conventional circuits, which could prove a challenge for Ferrari, especially if their recent upgrades falter under typical race conditions. Meanwhile, rivals like McLaren and Red Bull are expected to bring fresh upgrades, potentially shaking up the pecking order.
“Some teams may be bringing their last upgrades of the season, and that could change the dynamic,” Sainz continued. “It’s important to reassess where we stand as we return to these standard tracks with long, high-speed corners.”
For Ferrari, the U.S. Grand Prix will reveal whether their late-season push has any real legs, or if McLaren and Red Bull will maintain their stranglehold on the championship standings. As the season hurtles towards its conclusion, all eyes are on Austin to see if the Prancing Horse can still make a charge for glory.
