Carlos Sainz has explained that the opening lap outcome will dictate whether the two Ferrari drivers can work together to win the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.
Ferrari was unable to match McLaren or Red Bull over a single lap, but the squad’s strong race pace in the Sprint has heightened hopes it could be a threat in the race.
The Italian marque logged a second-row lock-out as Sainz, who cut through the pack to secure second in the truncated encounter, headed team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari having both drivers at the sharp end is set to be a strategic advantage, as Lando Norris and Max Verstappen’s respective team-mates will line up fifth and 10th.
However, the Maranello-based squad will need to avoid the squabbling between the duo that occurred in the Sprint to avoid losing ground to the two title protagonists.
But although he has indicated the Ferraris can work together, Sainz has highlighted that adhering to a clear plan will be impossible due to the variables on the first lap.
“I think it’s a Sprint, and I think everyone races hard from the beginning to the end,” Sainz said.
“The main race is a much longer race where I think everyone tends to play a bit longer game with tyre management and everything.
“And everyone applies all the lessons learned from the Sprint. So everyone knows how to manage the tyres better, where to manage them, et cetera, and all.
“So, yeah, it will be a matter of putting ourselves in a position to try and win again.
“And again, like everything else, a lot is dictated by the start, by the first lap, and you never know where you’re going to end there.
“So you cannot go into a race with a super clear plan in your head because normally that plan after one corner changes completely because of that start or that Turn 1.
“So let’s see. I’m confident that if we do a good job together, for sure we can fight with these two guys, whether we can beat them starting behind them, that’s another thing.
“It’s never easy to overtake in Formula 1 and never easy to, especially the McLaren and Red Bull.”
Leclerc to be punchier in US GP
Leclerc, who has also expressed hope in Ferrari’s win prospects, has disclosed that he won’t be as conservative in the nascent exchanges as he was in the Sprint race.
Asked whether he will get his elbows out more at the start, the Monegasque, who dropped behind Sainz during the weekend’s earlier race, responded: “Yes, for sure.
“It depends also [on] our strategy and how many laps we need to do in the first stint.
“I’ve learned from today which was most likely not [the] ideal scenario for me. Tomorrow we’ll try to make it ideal.”
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