F1 News: Carlos Sainz Reveals Reason For Qatar GP Disaster
Carlos Sainz's hopes of participating in the Qatar Grand Prix were thwarted due to a fuel tank issue, stemming from a challenging run across the Losail International Circuit's kerbs. The Ferrari driver pinpointed the circuit’s kerbs as the nemesis behind his ill-fated weekend.
Key Takeaways
- Sainz's Qatar Grand Prix was over before it officially began due to irreparable fuel tank damage, suspected to be a result of an aggressive kerb encounter during the sprint race, thus sidelining the Spanish driver.
- Both Ferrari drivers, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, wrestled with performance challenges during the Qatar GP weekend, with Sainz unable to participate in the primary race and Leclerc grappling to secure fifth amidst the McLaren and Mercedes domination.
- Ferrari, albeit yet to fully dissect the issue, leans towards agreeing with Sainz's assessment regarding the petrol tank damage's origins, hinting at a substantial inquiry into the situation to prevent future mishaps.
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Navigating through a weekend that pivoted from moderate success to poignant disappointment, Carlos Sainz emerged from the Qatar GP with a potent mixture of frustration and anticipation for clarification on the issues that plagued his race day. After only managing a 12th position in Friday’s qualifying and clawing back to a sixth-place finish in Saturday’s sprint race, Sainz confronted a critical blow when a damaged fuel tank ousted him from the main event lineup.
In a candid exchange with Sky Sports F1, Sainz shared:
"I found damage to the petrol tank and it could be due to the kerbs. A more in-depth investigation will be needed to understand what really happened and how. In any case, the damage was irreparable because we lost too much petrol."
Beyond the personal anguish of Sainz, Ferrari grappled with a universally difficult weekend. Charles Leclerc, whilst managing to mitigate disaster with a fifth-place finish after capitalising on Lewis Hamilton's early collision, nonetheless faced an uphill battle against the superior pace of McLaren and Mercedes machines.
Ferrari team boss, Fred Vasseur, resonated with the probable cause behind Sainz’s plight, conceding that significant damage likely resulted from the previous day’s racing action.
"We haven’t had time to take the tank off yet, but probably [it’s due to the kerbs] because the leak seems significant, so there’s significant damage. It probably comes from the last laps of yesterday," Vasseur expressed to Sky Sports F1.
