Max Verstappen emerged as the fastest driver during the early practice session on Friday. Unfortunately, due to rain, teams were unable to complete any useful laps in FP2.
Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen showcased their remarkable skills on the circuit. Sainz, who recently underwent an appendicitis surgery, triumphed in his first race of the season. The 29-year-old driver is eager to continue his streak of success in the upcoming event. However, Sainz admitted that Verstappen may have the advantage in securing the race win.
In FP1, Verstappen secured the top position, with the following positions being claimed by other drivers. Sainz mentioned that Ferrari showed a performance closer to Verstappen and Red Bull during the early practice session than expected. This was a positive development compared to the team’s performance in the previous year’s race at Suzuka. However, Sainz acknowledged that FP1 provided limited information about the fuel loads and engine modes of the Austrian team.
Sainz noted that Ferrari was significantly slower than Verstappen’s pole lap from last year, with an eight-tenths difference. Therefore, the mere two-tenths difference in FP1 was a substantial improvement. However, Sainz believes that beating Verstappen to win this weekend will be a challenging task for the Maranello team.
Throughout the early stages of the 2024 season, Sainz has maintained a high level of confidence. He expressed satisfaction with his performance on Friday in Suzuka, emphasizing that Ferrari had a successful winter test. This allowed the team to understand the SF24 and find a suitable setup for their challenging 2024 contender, which seemed superior to its predecessor. These factors have positively influenced Sainz and the team.
Malgré l’avantage de rythme de Red Bull et de Verstappen, la Scuderia Ferrari pourrait encore avoir une chance de se battre pour la victoire ce week-end. Les conditions météorologiques imprévisibles pourraient potentiellement modifier l’ordre de qualification, créant une opportunité pour Sainz ou d’autres pilotes de décrocher une victoire. Cependant, une évaluation réelle du rythme de Red Bull et de Ferrari ne sera possible qu’après la séance de qualification.
