Carlos Sainz, in great form during qualifying, will start from third place, just ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc, who will start fourth. Sainz thus improved his performance compared to the day before, where he placed fifth during qualifying for the Sprint.
Carlos Sainz: great progress
Carlos Sainz was satisfied with his third place after qualifying, highlighting the progress made compared to Saturday’s Sprint.
“It was our goal to improve the performance in qualifying compared to yesterdaydeclared the Spanish pilot. I was fifth in the Sprint, and today I’m third, which shows we’ve taken a step in the right direction.”
Despite this great performance, Sainz regrets not having been able to fully exploit his last lap: “I was three tenths faster with only two corners remaining, but unfortunately I couldn’t finish the way I wanted.”
However, he remains optimistic for the race and hopes to be in the battle for the top places: “If we get a good start it could be fun against the two drivers in front.”
Tire management: a constant challenge
Throughout qualifying, tire management was a source of concern for Carlos Sainz. He admits that Ferrari sometimes struggles to keep the car in the correct operating window during qualifying.
“Tire degradation has been a recurring problemhe explained. “It’s something we’re constantly monitoring because it’s been a challenge for us recently.”
However, the team seemed to have found the solution at the end of the session, as Sainz explained: “We managed to put the car in an optimal position for that last lap before the yellow flag, which allowed us to gain valuable time in the first two sectors.”
Charles Leclerc: An expected fight
Charles Leclerc, who had set the third fastest time in Friday qualifying, finished fourth in the final session. He recognized the difficulties encountered, particularly in the first sector of the circuit.
“It was not an easy qualificationhe confided. The first sector was particularly complicated, with a lot of inconsistency, but we knew that would be part of the challenge.”
Leclerc nevertheless remains confident for the race, stressing that the first two rows of the grid offer Ferrari a good chance of fighting for the top places.
“Third and fourth positions aren’t so bad. Maybe there was a little more to go for, but it would have been between Carlos and me, because the two in front were clearly too fast.”
A promising race for Ferrari
With Sainz in third and Leclerc right behind him, Ferrari puts itself in a strategic position for the race in Austin. If the drivers manage to manage tire degradation well and take advantage of their starts, the Italian team could play a key role in the fight for the podium.
The battle with the two leading drivers promises to be intense, and Scuderia fans are hoping for a good performance from their favorites.
