Carlos Sainz Jr of Spain had a crash during the qualifying session for the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix. Sainz explained that his steering inputs saved him from an early end to his qualifying session. He lost control of his Ferrari car at the last corner and nearly hit the opposite barrier. Luckily, he was able to make it to the pits and have a new front wing put on his car. Despite the setback, Sainz was able to return to the track and secure a seventh-place starting position for the race. However, he admits that Ferrari is lacking pace compared to their competitors.
Sainz acknowledged that crashing during Q2 was not ideal, but he was able to minimize the damage by steering in a certain way. He made sure to hit the barrier at the best possible angle to avoid damaging the rear suspension and wing of his car. Despite the crash, Sainz had confidence in his car and was able to push hard during his laps. However, he admits that the lack of rhythm caused by the crash affected his overall performance. Sainz believes that this weekend has not been strong for Ferrari as a team and that the Shanghai track is not favorable for them. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic for the race.
In the previous race at Suzuka, Ferrari found themselves behind McLaren on the grid. However, both Sainz and his teammate Charles Leclerc were able to use different strategies to move ahead. Sainz believes that Ferrari’s car performs better in race trim compared to one-lap speed, which gives him hope for another podium finish. He sees McLaren, particularly with Fernando Alonso, as their main target. Despite McLaren’s faster qualifying pace, Sainz believes that things can change during the race and they will do their best to fight back.