Alpine’s Stroke of Genius Slapped as Benchmark to Expose Ferrari’s Screw Up With Carlos Sainz

The electrifying qualifying at the Hungarian GP took fans on a rollercoaster ride of surprises and heart-stopping moments. With Lewis Hamilton on pole, it felt normal again but among the notable shockers was Carlos Sainz missing out on a chance to start in the top 10 and settling for 11th on the grid. This unexpected outcome has raised questions about Ferrari’s strategy and decision-making, especially in light of Alpine’s impressive approach. As the dust settles, it becomes clear that Alpine’s stroke of genius served as a benchmark, exposing Ferrari’s screw-up with Carlos Sainz.

The Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying session witnessed unexpected eliminations, and one of the most notable surprises was Carlos Sainz’s failure to progress to Q3. The Spaniard missed out on the final stage by a mere 0.002 seconds, a tantalizingly close margin that left him starting 11th on the grid. To add irony to the situation, it was his teammate, Charles Leclerc, who delivered the blow that pushed Sainz out in Q2.

In the wake of the intense competition, Peter Windsor in his analysis for qualifying, highlighted a crucial strategic error made by Ferrari. Windsor pointed out that Alpine, “Sainz never made it through the Q3, unbelievable really um for Ferrari not to do that very disappointing of course there were traffic issues and you’d have to say at this point why didn’t they all do what Alpine did which was to send their two cars out in the middle of Q1 when the track was quiet.” This tactic allowed Alpine to advance to Q2 comfortably. This strategy could have been advantageous for Ferrari as well, considering the notorious traffic jams that occur at the Hungaroring. However, Ferrari failed to adopt a similar approach, and their lack of a “banker lap” in Q2 may have cost Carlos Sainz a spot in Q3.

Read more: “Come On!!!”: Charles Leclerc Left Fuming as Carlos Sainz Attempts Another Sly Move On Teammate

The Hungaroring is notorious for being amongst the most challenging circuits to overtake due to its tight and twisty nature. For Ferrari and Sainz, the traffic tango proved costly. The Ferrari team was also left red-faced and bewildered by the unexpected performance of their customer team, Alfa Romeo.

” It might be a mistake”-Alfa Romeo’s Show stuns Charles Leclerc

Alfa Romeo’s  Zhou Guanyu’s stunning performance showcased the team’s prowess, comfortably outpacing both Ferrari drivers. With no major upgrades on the car, Alfa Romeo’s speed and consistency came as a surprise to the entire grid. Charles Leclerc’s shock was palpable as he expressed his surprise at Alfa Romeo’s formidable performance. The Monegasque driver revealed that the team had shown him simulations of Alfa Romeo’s expected performance, which he initially questioned “Yesterday, I was like, ‘I think there might be something wrong in that, it might be a mistake.” However, the simulations turned out to be accurate, leaving Leclerc stunned by their pace on the track.

Leclerc admitted that understanding Alfa Romeo’s sudden leap in performance was challenging, considering the lack of notable upgrades to their car. The unanticipated transformation of Alfa Romeo’s speed from one weekend to another further added to the perplexity. As Ferrari seeks to regain their competitive edge, Leclerc acknowledged the need for improvement and emphasized the strides made by McLaren on a track with different characteristics compared to Silverstone.

Will Ferrari Reclaim Their Rightful Place and Give Tifosi a Sigh of Relief?

WATCH THIS STORY: Charles Leclerc’s Hopeful Mission: Reviving Ferrari Despite Massive Gap!