During the Bahrain Grand Prix, Ferrari kicked off the 2024 F1 season with remarkable performances, securing third place for Carlos Sainz and fourth for Charles Leclerc. This outcome signifies a significant step forward from the previous season, showcasing the Ferrari SF-24 as a strong foundation for future developments.
Throughout the race, Leclerc initially held second place but faced braking difficulties that impacted his race pace. Sainz, after a less favorable start, displayed superior tire management, allowing him to regain positions and challenge Sergio Perez‘s Red Bull for a podium spot.
Scuderia Ferrari: third place for Sainz and fourth for Leclerc at the 2024 Bahrain GP
Sainz‘s skill in managing the Hard tires proved crucial, enabling him to overtake both his teammate and George Russell, putting him in contention for the podium. Despite challenges, the Monégasque driver improved his pace, overtaking Russell due to a mistake by the latter, securing fourth place. The Spanish driver’s performance, highlighted by spectacular overtakes, earned him the “Driver of the Day” accolade.
The Maranello team is now preparing for the next challenge in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), facing a track with distinctly different characteristics, where the SF-24 must prove its competitiveness under varying conditions.
Carlos Sainz highlighted the solid start to the season, expressing satisfaction with the car’s handling and tire strategy. Despite an attempt to challenge Perez in the final stages, he acknowledged Red Bull’s superiority, remaining optimistic about the potential for improvement.
Charles Leclerc expressed disappointment over brake issues that compromised his performance, emphasizing the need to analyze and resolve these issues to enhance competitiveness in upcoming races.
Frédéric Vasseur, team principal of Scuderia Ferrari, admitted expectations for a better result, attributing part of the difficulties to technical issues faced by Leclerc. Nonetheless, he highly praised Sainz’s comeback and tire strategy, recognizing the need for further improvements to compete at the top with Red Bull.
The team’s performance at the 2024 Bahrain GP marks a promising starting point for the season, with Ferrari showing determination to bridge the gap with its main competitors and continue developing its Ferrari SF-24 for even more competitive performances.