Sainz Reflects on Costly Q2 Exit at Dutch GP: A Tale of Soft Tyres and Missed Opportunities

Carlos Sainz discusses the reasons behind his unexpected early departure from qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Carlos Sainz mentioned that his limited use of soft tyres led to a surprising early exit during the Q2 session of the Dutch F1 Grand Prix qualifiers.

In the second segment of the qualifying round, the Ferrari racer and Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes faced a major upset, as they were eliminated after recording lap times that placed them in 11th and 12th positions respectively.

Sainz attributed his premature departure to a mix of congestion and the inability to effectively utilize the soft tyres.

Sainz expressed optimism, highlighting his ability to adapt swiftly, which he believed could help him advance to Q3 in the day's race. He noted this was despite not having driven the car for three weeks, not having practiced in dry conditions at Zandvoort the previous day, and not having used the soft tyre.

"Challenging equilibrium, unpredictable breezes, definitely not our quickest circuit, and indeed, all these factors combined, along with some congestion in sector 2 due to Nico [Hulkenberg], likely cost me a spot in Q3. But then again, perhaps I was a bit too hopeful in thinking we could achieve it."

An issue with the gearbox shortened Sainz's time in the second free practice session, preventing him from doing any laps on the soft tire amidst the sole dry practice period at Zandvoort, as both the first and third free practice sessions were affected by rain.

Consequently, Sainz's initial encounter with Pirelli's quickest tyre occurred during the qualifying rounds, where he faced difficulties maintaining speed.

"In the second quarter, I simply didn't have the prior day's knowledge on how to adjust the front wing, manage the tires, and prepare the car for a new soft in the second quarter. And, indeed, I faced the consequences," he detailed.

"Getting back into it wasn't simple, as I mentioned. Having not completed any laps during FP1, FP2, or FP3 and then diving directly into qualifying at Zandvoort on soft tires, giving it everything we've got."

"I believe I managed some solid laps given the situation, but ultimately, the conclusion, especially with some congestion, was bound to be challenging."

Charles Leclerc, a team member, secured the sixth position in qualifying, trailing by more than nine-tenths, and acknowledged that Ferrari's distance from the leaders was "excessive."

Sainz acknowledged that Ferrari's disappointing showing at Zandvoort is worrying, but he anticipates an improved performance in the races ahead.

"In recent races, our pace has been slightly behind, falling short by about two to four tenths compared to McLaren and Red Bull, depending on the track. We had anticipated a larger gap of four or five tenths," he mentioned.

"Being ahead by nine-tenths exceeded our expectations, highlighting a significant shortcoming in handling the extended, combined turns present at Zandvoort."

"I anticipate that we will perform better in Monza and Singapore, yet today's results highlight the distance we still need to cover to surpass a McLaren in qualifying at some point."

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