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 spot, with the following positions being taken 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 on 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 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.
Despite Red Bull and Verstappen’s pace advantage, Scuderia Ferrari still may have a chance to compete for victory this weekend. Unpredictable weather conditions could potentially change the qualifying order, creating an opportunity for Sainz or other drivers to secure a triumph. However, a true assessment of Red Bull and Ferrari’s pace will only be possible after the qualifying session.
