Carlos Sainz expects Ferrari to rebound at Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix

During the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, Ferrari struggled to keep pace, failing to match the performance of Mercedes and McLaren. Notably, they made no updates to their SF-23 car following the Formula 1 summer break.

Sainz, despite piloting what he described as the "sixth or seventh fastest car," managed to secure a fifth-place finish at Zandvoort. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc faced his own difficulties, including early contact and a mishandled pit stop, leaving Ferrari vulnerable to a challenging return to action in front of the passionate Tifosi at Monza.

The optimism within the team stems from Leclerc's podium finish at the Belgian Grand Prix prior to the summer break, coupled with his pole position at Monza in the previous season, offering hope for a favourable home result this weekend.

When assessing Ferrari's prospects at Monza, Sainz conveyed to the media, "I believe we should return to a competitive position. I know it may sound overly positive or optimistic right now, but our performance has shown significant fluctuations this year. 

"In Monza, ahead of the Tifosi, we could potentially be the second or third fastest car, particularly following our strong showing in Spa. I'm more hopeful about that and pleased that, despite a challenging weekend at Zandvoort, we still achieved a top-five finish."

The upcoming Formula 1 race is the Italian Grand Prix, scheduled for this weekend at Monza, a circuit renowned as the fastest on the F1 calendar. 

Often referred to as the "cathedral of speed," this iconic venue serves as both the home race for the historic Ferrari team and the local territory for AlphaTauri, who have clinched their only two F1 victories at this revered racetrack.

 

Read More: Italian GP betting tips and best bets: Put faith in Ferrari at Monza (planetsport.com)