Carlos Sainz believes that a top three result was possible for Ferrari during qualifying in Melbourne, stating it would’ve acted as a “boost of motivation” for the team.
Sainz ended the session in fifth place and over half a second down on pole-sitter Max Verstappen, while team-mate Charles Leclerc struggled to seventh.
The Spaniard says that a poor warm-up lap for his best attempt meant his tyres weren’t properly prepared, which resulted in a scrappy lap.
“[I feel] reasonably comfortable,” he said after the session. “I think we’ve done some good progress with my feeling with the car.
“We’ve changed quite a lot the set-up up and down from yesterday, trying to improve it mainly from the race, but actually the changes have made me feel a bit better also over one lap.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t prove it today because I lost a couple of tenths in sector one in that final lap.
“That cost me a top three that would have maybe been a boost of motivation for me and the team.
“But we missed it due to a very poor preparation lap. They told me there were people coming on a fast lap. Some of them were, some not. I cooled down the tyres and it cost me a lot in Turn 1.”
“I’ve no idea if we have done it or not, because the real test comes tomorrow. We’ve definitely changed the car on the set-up, and I hope that it will pay [off].
“I’m hoping that it will pay [off] tomorrow, but I need I need to wait until tomorrow.”
Ferrari is yet to take a podium finish in 2023, with Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso finishing inside the top three at the opening two rounds.
However, Sainz is aiming to be in the mix for the top three and Sunday and battle those ahead for a step on the podium.
“I’m wishing that tomorrow will pay off, but I hope that I can keep the pace of the Astons and Mercedes and fight them,” he said.
“If we fall back it means that it’s like in Jeddah, where we fell back a bit. We’re trying the best we can.”
Keyword: Sainz frustrated to miss out on top three ‘motivation boost’ for Ferrari