Carlos Sainz has revealed Ferrari’s recent uptick has seen him and Charles Leclerc “talk more” about the prospect of winning the Formula 1 Constructors’ title in 2024.
Ferrari claimed consecutive victories for the first time this season as Sainz dominated proceedings from pole position to secure the win at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Sainz’s second win this season succeeded Leclerc, who was third at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, leading a Ferrari 1-2 in the United States the weekend prior.
The Italian marque taking back-to-back double podiums has moved it above Red Bull into second place, 29 points behind leaders McLaren with four rounds remaining.
Sainz believes that integral to Ferrari’s bolstered championship hopes has been that the team has had both drivers amassing substantial points hauls in recent events.
“Yeah, I think we both believe it is possible and we are actually talking about it more and more often now,” Sainz told media including Motorsport Week.
“We pump each other up a bit, knowing that there’s a chance and we are like, ‘yeah, come on’.
“You know, we have a good relationship and I think we both know there is a chance and we both know we are in a good moment in our driving, the way we’re driving.
“And yeah, I think one of the keys is going to be consistency and having the two drivers always up there.
“I think this weekend, We did a really good job on that on a tricky track where you could see Q1 and Q2 was a bit of chaos and anything could go right or wrong.”
Ferrari reliant on McLaren’s pace
But amid Lando Norris’ run through to second in Mexico, Sainz has acknowledged that Ferrari’s chances will also rest on how competitive McLaren materialises to be.
“So we just need to keep ourselves in that fight,” he continued. “Don’t get obsessed with it because it’s not like it depends only on us.
“We also, given how fast McLaren is, depend a bit on them. But yeah, we’re going to keep doing the best we can and keep pumping each other up to win it.”
Leclerc sees Constructors’ title as ‘realistic’ target
Meanwhile, Leclerc harbours an outside shot in the Drivers’ Championship as he sits in third place, 24 points behind Norris and a further 47 down on Max Verstappen.
However, the Monegasque, who will partner the incoming Lewis Hamilton in 2025, has admitted Ferrari clinching the Constructors’ title is a more realistic proposition.
“Yeah, of course, it has to be our target, because we don’t have to think about it every day,” he added.
“I think the best way to achieve it is by just focusing on ourself and trying to maximise the package of our car, which is what we have done since two weekends.
“But yeah, the Constructors’ now is realistically possible.
“It relies on us doing well more than others doing something wrong, which I’ve often said is probably the case for the Drivers’ Championship.
“For the Drivers’ Championship I need to do everything right and I need a lot of bad luck to happen elsewhere.
“So the Constructors’ is definitely our main target and if we continue in that form it’s a realistic one.”
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