Carlos Sainz faced difficulties with the SF-24 during the qualifying sessions on Saturday in Spielberg.
Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz (via IMAGO)
Ferrari acknowledged that their team was falling behind McLaren and Red Bull in Austria, who dominated the Red Bull Ring on Saturday. Sainz then stated that the Maranello team could realistically only compete with the Mercedes team in the next 71-lap race.
Mercedes has shown an upward trend in their performances since introducing a new front wing on the W15 in Monaco. However, Ferrari has coincidentally been going through a rough patch since their impressive performance in Monaco and is currently only in contention for the title.
Carlos Sainz assessed that the Maranello team faced significant issues maneuvering through the high-speed corners of Spielberg, for which they cannot find an immediate solution. As a result of these problems, Ferrari now starts from fourth and sixth positions, sandwiched between Mercedes, who achieved lap times as good as third and fifth places.
Lewis Hamilton has also had a below-average season for Mercedes, with his teammate starting from the second row in the Austrian race. But despite past problems and issues, the race will certainly be exciting as fans will witness the two silver arrows competing against the Reds for the top positions in Spielberg.
George Russell starts from third position for the race in Spielberg, behind Red Bull and McLaren, which has been a common occurrence in most of the 2024 season. Russell shared his strategy, aiming to maximize his result.
Russell said that the key to a successful race for the Silver Arrows would be to not immediately engage in a battle with Red Bull and McLaren, but to allow the two teams to fight in the beginning. The 26-year-old driver clarified that his impatience during the early stages was the main reason for a disappointing finish last week in Barcelona, which he hopes to avoid.
Mercedes is currently a few tenths slower compared to McLaren and Red Bull, but will have plenty of opportunities during the Austrian Grand Prix to overtake both teams around the fast Red Bull Ring. A victory for the Silver Arrows would be the first of the season and significantly increase their chances in the 2024 title race.
