In Imola with the updates
The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix marks the appointment with the first European race of the season, as well as one of the most anticipated events ever Ferrari. For the Maranello team it is a real home GP, for which it is preparing with the new updates brought to Imola. Progress that could allow Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to make other improvements, as hoped by the latter, which has not yet provided indications on its future: “I’m a Ferrari driver in Imola and we hope to have progress from our car this weekend, I can’t complain – he declared in the pre-weekend press conference – I keep thinking that progress depends a lot on the track; Miami was suitable for our car, we had excellent pace even if the McLarens and Red Bulls were half a step ahead. Our car she seemed to return to normal, while in Suzuka and China it didn’t give us good sensations, so I think it continues to depend a lot on the track. We hope that Imola can be good for us and that we can give a good show to the public. We will continue to develop for tracks like Shanghai, because there are certain types of corners where our car struggles a lot and we need to continue to improve. I still have no news about my future, but I will give it when I have itthere is still time left and there is no need to be hasty.”
Pros and cons of Imola
One year after the cancellation of the GP due to the floods that hit the region, Imola returns to host F1, with the Circus arriving on one of the most historic circuits: “We all kind of miss the old-school feelsince we go to so many new places – continued Sainz – I hope the calendar maintains these historic circuits because it reminds us of our roots and when we became fans of the sport. I love going back to places like Imola or Monaco next week. We need to find a way to make the tracks old school more exciting with more overtaking opportunities, but it is also part of the style of European tracks which also allow you to exalt yourself in the qualifying lap. Here you feel the characteristics of F1 more along with Suzuka and a few others, and that’s what makes you love an F1 car.” I remember when I went to my first F1 race, in 2005.”
Penalty not included
Sainz, who on the subject of old school also expressed his desire for the return of the roar of pre power unit engines (in the hope that there could be progress from 2030) did not, however, spare a criticism relating to the 5 second penalty suffered in Miami after overtaking on Piastri: “Riders sometimes don’t understand penalties, and the same happened to me – he concluded – in Miami Perez he lost control of the car and almost knocked out two drivers at the start, and there were no consequences. My race, like that of others, was compromised there, and yet he was not penalized. I lost control of the car to a minimum when overtaking Oscar; unfortunately I damaged his wing, he lost 15 positions and I got a 5 second penalty. I think that you shouldn’t look at the outcome to impose the penalty, but in this case that was the case. I am convinced that I would not have been penalized if I had not damaged Oscar’s wing. Checo didn’t touch anyone and we managed to avoid him, but there was no penalty. The consequences continue to influence the penalties, and it is something that I do not agree with, it baffles me and sometimes I struggle to understand.”
